U.S. civil affairs teams monitor referendum process

Courtesy Photo | BAGHDAD -- Kids play soccer on one of the roads in the eastern Al Rasheed district the morning of Oct. 15. Vehicular traffic was prohibited to protect citizens from possible insurgent attacks.  

BAGHDAD, IRAQ

11.07.2005

Courtesy Story

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Spc. Christopher Mallard
425th Civil Affairs Battalion

BAGHDAD -- It was an unusual sight for the normally bustling capital city: there was not a single car on the road. With few exceptions, roads were barren the entire day Oct. 15 as millions made their way to polling sites around Iraq to cast their historic vote on the Constitutional Referendum.

By mid-morning, it had become clear that Iraqis were turning out in droves, moving one step closer to creating a democratic government.

Polling sites opened at 8 a.m. with unprecedented security in place. Several cordons were set up to protect citizens from terrorist attacks.

Limited vehicle movement generated immense foot traffic around polling stations. The only vehicles allowed on the road were Coalition Forces, Iraqi Security Forces, and election officials.

By all estimates, millions went to the polls to cast their ballot. Many brought a small white copy of the Constitutional Referendum with them, widely distributed by neighborhood councils and food centers around the nation. As voters emerged, some boasted proud grins and showed security guards their ink-stained fingers, visible proof they had voted.

According to rules worked out in the weeks leading up to the historic referendum, a two-thirds "NO" vote by any three of the 18 provinces in Iraq would automatically initiate a veto.

The United Nations officially monitored the voting and counting process, and declared that the election had been conducted in a fair manner with very few disputes.

It was a warm fall day with Ramadan still in observance as U.S. forces rolled out in large numbers, mostly to conduct presence patrols.

What most troops encountered throughout the day were throngs of children who took to the streets with impromptu soccer matches. Usually congested by vehicles and carts of propane drawn by donkeys, the streets were now lined by hundreds of local citizens waving to Soldiers.

Coalition Forces stood up an election cell as a temporary "coordinating element that evolved out of a necessity to prompt interagency cooperation with The Independent Election Commission in Iraq and the Ministry of the Interior," said Maj. Steven Davis, commander of A Company, 425th Civil Affairs Battalion.

Battalions under 4th Brigade Combat Team reported throughout the day to the Tactical Operations Center in the International Zone. This was a strategy to monitor and manage information coming in from all maneuver elements out in the field.

"We were there to assist the IECI with issues ranging from a possible breakdown in ballot transportation to security at the polling stations should it arise and if requested," Davis said. "Although lessons were certainly learned, I tend to think of this as the pre-season run up to the national elections in December."

Iraqi and Coalition Forces officials began planning for Oct. 15 long before the ink had dried on the draft of the referendum.

"A security plan was hatched months in advance. Ministry of Interior and Coalition Forces all worked in conjunction to make sure polling sites were operational," said Capt. Matthew Mackey, operations officer for 1st Battalion, 184th Infantry Regiment. "Polling sites were not the only issue'the routes in which ballots would be delivered to District Election Offices, getting barriers in place prior to the event, even placards in the window that signaled a right-to-roll were all handled in a professional manner but with a hands-off attitude by our Soldiers."

Civil affairs teams were prepared to conduct consequence management missions in their assigned neighborhoods depending on what occurred. In the event of a terrorist strike, CA teams would be sent to the area to support the populace with humanitarian assistance.

HA and construction materials were prepared weeks in advance for various scenarios. CA team leaders were continually in contact with local community leaders to ensure a smooth response should it be needed.

In the weeks leading up to the referendum, several projects from the Office of Transition Initiatives were nominated for approval. An office within the U.S. Agency for International Development, OTI provides fast, flexible, short-term assistance to countries transitioning from authoritarianism to democracy. The projects focused on rubble removal, temporary employment, defoliation, an anti-graffiti campaign and distribution of frozen chickens.

"This period witnessed a surge in civil-military operations activity focusing on projects that would reduce tensions in the area of operations," said Sgt. Matthew See of 1st Bn., 184 Inf. "We wanted to clearly foster the idea that good things are happening as the elections draw near."

In the days following the vote, atmospherics indicated the citizens of Al Rasheed were pleased with security and the election process as a whole. Three-quarters of those surveyed said they had voted in favor of the referendum. Most of the people told CA teams they believed ratification of the Constitution would help stabilize the country.

• Date Taken: 11.07.2005
• Date Posted: 11.07.2005 13:13
• Story ID: 3617
• Location: BAGHDAD, IQ