Identifier | Created | Classification | Origin |
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06JAKARTA4511 | 2006-04-07 09:30:00 | CONFIDENTIAL | Embassy Jakarta |
1. (C) Summary: ConGen Surabaya Principal Officer Pierangelo and Econ/PolOff Williams traveled to the Central Java city of Solo (also known as Surakarta) on Wednesday April 5, meeting with Mayor Joko Widodo, Solo Chief of Police Yotje Mende, and with Muhammadiyah University of Surakarta (UMS) rector Bambang Setiaji. Police Chief Mende and his force are working hard to face what they say are their key challenges?local radical Islamic groups, and the imminent return to the area of Jemaah Islamiya emir Abu Bakar Ba?asyir. Mayor Widodo was upbeat about the area?s economic prospects, and appears committed to building interfaith tolerance to counter radical sentiments. Rector Setiaji warmly welcomed ConGen?s visit, and sought closer future ties between his university and the United States. End Summary. Police Chief: Monitoring Radical Muslim Groups -------------------------- - 2. (C) Solo Police Chief Mende is new to his position, having arrived in Solo about one month ago. (Note: Mende served the last eight years in Jakarta in the narcotics division and has a previous assignment as a police chief in the Yogyakarta area; he is originally from North Sulawesi. End Note.) Mende told PO and Econ/PolOff that the Solo police force?s most pressing issue is security related to hard-line Muslim ?NGOs? based in the city, including the Majelis Mujahidin Indonesia (MMI), the Solo branch of the Indonesian Defenders Front (FPI), and the local ?Hizbollah? Islamic group. Mende and his Head of Intelligence, Budi Sutrisno, described extensive and well-organized efforts by police to monitor these groups and their Islamic schools (pesantren). Mende also noted that Solo-based militant Islamic groups tend to leave Solo to make trouble. Two weeks ago, Solo police received word that Islamic militants were assembling to travel to Bojonegoro, East Java to protest at the site of the Cepu oilfield run by ExxonMobil. According to Mende, he gave the order for police to set up roadblocks and stop the protestors. One protester was briefly detained and has since been released. Mende also provided information that Suprapto, a member of the national legislature (DPR) Commission VII, had sponsored the attempted Cepu protest and that another unnamed ?former national official? had been in Solo to incite the demonstrators. (Note: We find no record of a Suprapto in Commission VII or in the current DPR. End Note.) Bracing for Return of Ba?asyir -------------------------- 3. (C) Solo police officials are highly concerned about the impending June release of Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) emir Abu Bakar Ba?asyir, to his Solo-area pesantren al-Mukhmin. Police anticipate large demonstrations around the city in support of Ba?asyir following his release, and are preparing to control the demonstrations. Mende will bring in additional resources from other areas of the province to supplement his 5,000 officer force in an effort to contain protests. Mayor: Economy Healthy ?Despite Ba?asyir? -------------------------- 4. (SBU) Solo Mayor Joko Widodo (known locally as ?Jokowi?) is also relatively new to his position, elected seven months ago as the Indonesian Democratic Party?Struggle (PDI-P) candidate. Widodo told us he has a background in business and owns a local furniture export company. He was upbeat about the Solo economy, touting good employment prospects JAKARTA 00004511 002 OF 002 in local furniture and textile factories and a high per capita income in the region. He sees his greatest challenge as encouraging investment in Solo. ?I do not want Solo to be defined by Ba?asyir,? he stated firmly. ?Only two or three percent of the population can be defined as hard- liners, the rest are moderates.? He noted that several foreign companies have recently invested in Solo, including the Makro and Carrefour supermarket chains. Widodo also formed an inter-faith discussion group shortly after his election, and meets regularly with local Christian and Muslim leaders to discuss community issues and improve communication between these groups. Muhammadiyah Rector: Looking to the US -------------------------- 5. (SBU) Muhammadiyah University ? Solo Rector Bambang Setiaji and his department heads unanimously expressed a strong desire to increase ties with the USG and ConGen Surabaya during a wide-ranging two hour meeting with PO and Econ/PolOff. UMS has applied to host an American Corner in their library and are eager to participate in any future visiting professor programs offered by the USG. Setiaji told us he is concerned that UMS has received outside funding for English language training for some of its faculty members, but none have chosen to study in the US--all opting for study in Australia, Canada or the United Kingdom. According to Setiaji, some faculty were fearful of encountering anti-Muslim sentiments while visiting the US while others were not confident about their ability successfully obtain a visa for their course of study. PO described the Fulbright program and recent improvements to our visa processing systems and assured Setiaji that we would continue to search for opportunities to cooperate with UMS. COMMENT -------------------------- 6. (C) Over the past few years, Solo?s reputation internationally has changed from a haven of Javanese culture, to a haven for Islamic radical groups, even though the overwhelming majority of Solo?s population do not support violent extremism. City officials appear well aware of this dynamic, and equally as committed to addressing it, whether through interfaith forums or additional security measures. In particular, Police Chief Mende and his staff appear to be on top of the potential threats from militant Islamic organizations facing Solo, and taking the security situation there very seriously. Mende?s relative openness and willingness to share sensitive information with us suggests that he will be an able future partner on CT efforts, including as he moves up the ranks. PASCOE |