YUDHOYONO ORDERS CRACKDOWN AGAINST MILITANT

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 JAKARTA 007345

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EAP/MTS AND S/CT
DOJ FOR CTS THORNTON, AAG SWARTZ
FBI FOR ETTIU/SSA ROTH

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/09/2026
TAGS: PTER PREL PGOV KJUS KISL ASEC AS ID
SUBJECT: YUDHOYONO ORDERS CRACKDOWN AGAINST MILITANT
ACTIVITIES

Classified By: Classified by Amb. B. Lynn Pascoe for reasons 1.4 (b) an
d (d)

Summary
--------------


1. (C) President Yudhoyono (SBY) has decided to act against
militant activities that have increasingly threatened civil
society, the rule of law and tarnished Indonesia's image. In
the process, he has wrapped himself in a much more
traditional nationalist mantle, using Pancasila ideology as a
touchstone. Presidential aide Dino Djalal reports that SBY
has ordered a crackdown on the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI).
On June 8, SBY convened his Cabinet to continue discussions
on the GOI's plans to counter "anarchism" and militant
activities. Afterwards, Coordinating Minister for Political,
Legal, and Security Affairs Widodo A.S. made strong
statements affirming a renewed political will to take action
against violent organizations, a veiled reference to FPI
among others. These statements followed SBY's June 1 speech
on the Indonesian ideology of Pancasila, which extolled the
virtues of reform while reminding Indonesians of the need for
unity and national pride, particularly when faced by
extremist sentiments. An incident where FPI militants
shouted down former President Gus Dur has become the vehicle
for the announced crackdown, the practical implementation of
which is yet to play out. End Summary.

Decision Taken to Act
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2. (C) President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) has decided
to act against militant organizations that have increasingly
threatened the rule of law and civil society within
Indonesia. This new government tact follows increasingly
loud complaints within elites and other groups of the threat
posed by thuggish organizations such as FPI threatening
minorities, more religiously or socially liberal groups, or
other supporters of pluralism in the name of Islam. In many
cases, violence was neither prevented nor prosecuted. The
Ambassador has regularly voiced our concerns about these
trends with senior officials.

Cabinet Meets to Discuss "Anarchism"
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3. (C) SBY convened his Cabinet June 8 to continue
discussions on "anarchism," extrajudicial actions by militant
groups, and the steps the GOI must take to combat them.
Leaders from Nahdlatul Ulama (NU),Indonesia's largest
Islamic group, attended along with Cabinet officials.
Minister of Law and Human Rights Hamid Awaluddin told us
privately that this was one of several recent Cabinet
meetings focused on developing the GOI's response to
extremism. He praised the determination of National Police
Chief Sutanto for his willingness to tackle the problem.
Awaluddin added that the GOI is still grappling with how to
disband groups that were never formally registered with the
government in the first place.

Political Cover for Stronger Action
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4. (U) Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and
Security Affairs Widodo A.S. spoke to the press after the
meeting, accompanied by Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI)
Commander Air Chief Marshal Djoko Suyanto, National Police
Chief Sutanto, and Home Affairs Minister Mohammad Ma'ruf.
The press quotes him as saying:

"Acts promoting anarchy, threats of terror, or moves to take
the law into one's own hands are classified as crimes, which
will be processed under the country's existing laws. The
government cannot allow or tolerate (anarchy) in any form
against anyone or any group. Our policy is clear, that we
must enforce the supremacy of the law and equality before the
law."

"I know that law enforcers at all levels have faced a certain
amount of pressure from various parties when they deal with
these groups, and I am assuring them now that the government

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will provide protection to them when they carry out their
duties."

Disbanding the Violent, Unruly Mass Organizations
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5. (U) Widodo also said that although the GOI respects the
right of the people to belong to organizations, "if these
activities disturb public order, we do have a right to
disband them," pointing to Law 8/1985 as the legal basis to
do so. He added, "We will not differentiate groups. As long
as they carry out acts of anarchy and violence, we will act."
Later statements also included the threat of violence as a
reason for the GOI to act.


6. (U) The Home Affairs Ministry will reportedly distribute
guidelines to provincial governments on dissolving
organizations which threaten public security and national
integrity and foment ethnic or religious conflict. The
Ministry released information to the press enumerated 1060
registered organizations, with 69 religious, 118
professional, and 873 other non-governmental groups. The
Ministry will also address unregistered organizations, but
details regarding specific actions were not mentioned.

FPI Goes too Far
--------------


7. (C) The planned action by the Yudhoyono Administration
came on the heels of members of the Islamic Defenders Front
(FPI) angrily shouting down former Indonesian President
Abdurrahman Wahid (Gus Dur) during a speech promoting
pluralism and tolerance in West Java earlier in the month.
President Yudhoyono and Nadlahtul Ulama, which Gus Dur once
headed, took great umbrage at the incident. Presidential
adviser Dino Djalal told the Ambassador June 8 that the
President gave orders to crack down on FPI. The Gus Dur
incident has apparently given Yudhoyono the kind of vehicle
he needs to make the crackdown more politically palatable
domestically. Previous FPI attacks on religious minorities
such as the Ahmadiyahs did not generate sufficient outrage in
the political classes.

Pancasila: Unifying Ideology Once Again?
--------------


8. (C) On June 1, President Yudhoyono gave an address on the
need for Indonesia to remember its foundations in Pancasila,
the founding ideology of the nation. The speech, which one
Djalal's staff members told us Yudhoyono wrote himself,
acknowledged the difficult and challenging times Indonesians
have faced since the fall of Suharto; however, it also
reminded Indonesians that reform which attempts to remove all
reminders of the past has no anchor and can lend itself to
extreme positions and reactions. Yudhoyono cautioned against
this, calling on Indonesians to show restraint and to
remember their heritage in Pancasila. His nationalist
argument extolled the virtues of a strong, stable, and
well-meaning government essential for Indonesia to be
successful in the future. The speech calls for a moderate
response from all segments of society to the challenges
Indonesia faces or may face in the future, reminding
Indonesians that they are a united people and that extremist
activities and "anarchism" are anathema to the founding credo
of the country.

Comment
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9. (C) The Pancasila, while damaged as a concept during the
Suharto years, nonetheless embodies values that counter those
who would push Indonesia towards becoming an Islamic state.
Normally, many of the traditional nationalist political
elites should be attracted by this approach. However, many
are in the opposition due to the threat SBY has posed with
his goal to eradicate corruption and the fact that he was
elected without the support of the country's two largest
parties. The statements by the Yudhoyono Administration call
for strong action, but the real question is what specific
action will ensue. A crackdown on "anarchism" and violence
would be a positive development to strengthen civil society

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and the rule of law and would respond to the complaints,
including ours, of government inaction against extremist
organizations that have tarnished progress in other areas.

PASCOE