NEW DRAFT RELIGIOUS DECREE WOULD EASE REQUIREMENTS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 001649

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

SECSTATE FOR EAP/IET AND DRL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/08/2016
TAGS: PHUM PGOV KJUS KIRF KISL ID
SUBJECT: NEW DRAFT RELIGIOUS DECREE WOULD EASE REQUIREMENTS
FOR HOUSES OF WORSHIP

REF: A. A.05 JAKARTA 14621 (DRAFT DECREE WOULD CONTINUE

TO DISADVANTAGE MINORITY FAITHS)

B. B.05 JAKARTA 14281 (CHARGE LOBBIES SENIOR
MINISTER)

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Classified By: CLASSIFIED BY POLITICAL OFFICER LISSA MCATEE, REASON 1.4
(B) AND (D).

SUMMARY
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1. (C) Indonesia's latest draft of the joint ministerial
decree on the establishment of houses of worship, if
approved, would ease requirements compared with earlier
versions (ref a). While Christian religious leaders are
still dissatisfied with the requirement of 90 members and 70
supporting signatures from the community, Hindu religious
leaders argued that the reduced requirements reflect the
effectiveness of negotiations between religious leaders and
the government. On January 31, government officials and
religious leaders presented the latest version of the draft
joint-ministerial decree to President Susilo Bambang
Yudhoyono. Yudhoyono reportedly said that presidential
intervention in the negotiations would be inappropriate and
that religious leaders should continue discussions until all
sides were satisfied. End Summary.

New Version Reduces Requirements
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2. (C) We obtained the most recent draft joint-ministerial
decree from A. Benny Susetjo (protect),Secretary General of
the Catholic Bishop's Conference of Indonesia (KWI),who was
one of the participants in the negotiations between religious
leaders and the government (two religious leaders from each
of the five officially recognized religions participated).
In contrast to previous drafts (ref A),the new version no
longer requires recommendations from four separate community
forums but instead requires recommendation from one community
forum and the Department of Religion at the District level,
plus signatures from 90 future members of the proposed place
of worship and 70 signatures from supporters in the immediate
area where the house of worship is to be built.

Christians Remain Concerned
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3. (C) Susetjo told us that Muslim religious leaders
originally wanted 100 required members but that the
Protestant religious leaders only wanted 60. The result was
90, leaving the Protestants, who typically operate within
smaller parishes, dissatisfied and the negotiations in
deadlock. Susetjo anticipated that the draft, if formalized
as currently written, would justify further church closures
and disadvantage minority religions.

Hindus Accepting
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4. (C) Nengah Dana and Agus Mantik, both leaders in the
Parisada Hindu Dharma Indonesia organization, told us that
the new draft decree was an example of religious tolerance
and what can be achieved when the government solicits input
from religious leaders. According to their interpretation of
the current draft, there is an "escape clause" that allows
any religious group which does not have the necessary 90
members to obtain 70 signatures supporting the establishment
of the new place of worship at the sub-district level.
Failing that, the draft allows religious groups to obtain any
additional necessary signatures from the district level.
Dana and Mantik emphasized that there was equal
representation of all five religions at the negotiations and
that such negotiations were historically unprecedented. They
also predicted that this draft would clarify procedures and
thereby reduce religious conflict.

President Decides Not to Intervene
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5. (C) On January 31, members of the committee negotiating
the draft presented the draft to President Yudhoyono and
asked him to resolve the disagreement over the required 90

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members and 70 supporting signatures. Susetjo told us that
the President refused to involve himself by saying that
government intervention on religious issues should be minimal
and suggested continued dialogue between the religious
leaders and the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of
Religion until a consensus is reached. Susetjo said that he
regretted the President's unwillingness to resolve the
disagreement and predicted that the result would be a long
delay in formalizing a new decree. Dana, Mantik and Chandra
Setiawan, Commissioner responsible for religious freedom at
the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas Ham),also said
it was impossible to know when the new decree would be
formalized if the President did not intervene.

Comment
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6. (C) As written, the latest draft of the joint-ministerial
decree leaves much open to interpretation to guarantee that
minority religions will have equal opportunity to establish
new places of worship. However, even when read with a
pessimistic lens, the new draft appears to be an improvement
over previous versions which put the power in the hands of
multiple unaccountable community forums. We will continue to
urge GOI and religious leaders to adopt an approach that
safeguards and promotes religious freedom, including for
minority faiths (ref B).

PASCOE