MUQDADIYA — A neighborhood watch program has begun to show sings of success since its formation March 5.
The
program, which includes 15 villages throughout the Muqdadiya district,
hires local villagers to protect their village and encourages the
population to contact their security forces on criminal or terrorist
activity.
“The idea is - to protect the village and to clear it
from the armed people and insurgents,” said Dr. Abdulla al Jubouri, the
former governor of Diyala and founder of the program.
Since the
program began, Jubouri said there have been several signs of success to
include roads free from improvised explosive devices, fighting stopped
between what used to be rival villages, schools are re-opened, electric
and water services have been repaired.
“The neighborhood watch
program has put positive energy into the security of Muqdadiya,” said
Lt. Col. Keith Gogas, 6-9 Armored Reconnaissance Squadron Commander,
responsible for Coalition forces in the Muqdadiya area.
“People
from all around Muqdadiya have been emboldened by the hard work and
sacrifice of Dr. Abdulla, Mayor Najim and many local leaders working to
secure this area of Diyala,” Gogas said. “This area is beautiful – full
of hard-working, patriotic people who deserve the freedom this security
plan gives them.”
Aside from providing security, the neighborhood
watch program is important because it provides jobs for local citizens
who are often poor and persuaded to turn to the terrorists to support
their families, said Mayor Najim, Muqdadiya mayor.
“The cycle of
violence that has existed in the province of Diyala is being defeated
by the people who are disgusted and disillusioned by the hatred
provided by the terrorists,” said Col. David W. Sutherland, commander
of 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, and senior U.S. Army
officer in Diyala. “The people recognize the fact that their place in a
free and democratic society is their future and ultimately lies in
their hands, and cannot be achieved unless there is stable security and
government, which enable progress.”
The neighborhood watch program has also encouraged many citizens to join the
Iraqi Police and approximately 1,000 citizens want to join the Iraqi Army, Jubouri said.
“It’s
a good idea and I hope it will be done in more than one area,” Najim
said. “I hope once the security is improved and jobs start to open,
that people will participate in the political process and other people
will follow.”
The goal is to support the security plan by encouraging the districts to follow in the footsteps of Muqdadiya, Jubouri said.
And
while attacks on Jubouri himself have shown that the terrorists dislike
the neighborhood watch program, he and the people refuse to accept
defeat.
“[Terrorist attacks] are not going to stop us,” he said. “[We will keep going] until we make sure Diyala is secured.”
In
August, electrical production of megawatts exceeded 5,000 for 25 days –
producing enough power for approximately 450,000 homes. The U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers Gulf Region Division is helping the Government of
Iraq jumpstart its electrical infrastructure by infusing more than $4
billion dollars into the nation’s system. More than 500 electrical
projects have been completed thus far in areas of generation,
transmission and distribution.