EXTREMIST RALLY DRAWS HUGE CROWD, BUT MANY BIG

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 002202

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, INR/EAP, EAP/PD

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/13/2017
TAGS: PGOV KISL KPAO PTER ID
SUBJECT: EXTREMIST RALLY DRAWS HUGE CROWD, BUT MANY BIG
NAMES FAIL TO SHOW

REF: A. A) JAKARTA/OPS CENTER 08/12/2007 TELCON


B. B) JAKARTA 2187

Classified By: POL/C Joseph Legend Novak, reason 1.4 (b, d)

Summary
=========

1. (C) A rally sponsored by the extremist Hizbut Tahrir
Indonesia (HTI) party on August 12 drew a huge crowd to a
Jakarta stadium. Many of the promised big name speakers
failed to turn up, however. POL/C expressed concern to
officials of Muhammadiyah (one of the largest Islamic
organizations in Indonesia) about its chairman's
participation in the event. The rally was conducted
peacefully and HTI's political profile gained a boost from
it. A wrap-up of media reaction is contained in para 11.
End Summary.

======================
HTI's Show of Strength
======================


2. (SBU) HTI held its well-publicized half-day
"International Conference on the Caliphate" on August 12 in a
downtown Jakarta stadium (ref b). According to various
reports, between 70,000 to 100,000 people were in attendance,
a grouping which basically filled Senayan Stadium. At least
half the attendees were women apparently bused in for the
event.


3. (U) There was a large, but generally unobtrusive police
presence in and around the stadium. There were no reports of
violence or arrests.

========================
Many Big Names Not There
========================


4. (SBU) HTI failed, however, to deliver on many of its
promised speakers. Key Indonesian personalities including
two sitting GOI ministers, charismatic preacher Zainuddin MZ,
and former Speaker of the National Legislature (MPR) Amien
Rais all decided not to attend. Habib Rizieq Shihab, head of
the thuggish Islamic Defenders' Front (FPI),claimed a
colleague's hospitalization took precedence--a transparent
excuse given that HTI organizers told the press that the
police had warned Rizieq not to deliver his planned speech.
We understand that Jemmah Islamiyah co-founder Abu Bakar
Bashir also heeded police warnings and did not attend.


5. (SBU) Various HTI officials did deliver remarks,
including the kick off and concluding speeches. In addition,
representatives of other Indonesian Muslim groups delivered
brief speeches, including a regionally-based Nahdlatul Ulama
(NU) cleric; a member of the Islamic Clerics' Council (MUI)
from South Sumatra, and a representative from the PERSIS
(Islamic Union) movement. Prominent Indonesian cleric
Abdullah Gymnmastiar, known as Aa Gym, also spoke.


6. (U) Three speakers from outside of Indonesia
(representing Hizbut Tahrir branches in Sudan and Denmark, as
well as a Japanese Islamic group) did deliver remarks as
planned. Immigration officials, however, turned away two of
their colleagues, one from Australia (Ismail Al-Wahwah) and
another from the UK, when they arrived at Jakarta's airport.
It was not clear why the two were prevented from entering
Indonesia.


7. (U) Most speakers' remarks focused on respect for the
concept of "Khalifah" (or caliphate),claiming that its
re-creation would help bring justice to the world. There was
criticism of Israel and the U.S.


8. (U) In addition to the speeches, the rally included a
pantomime of western countries (the U.S., Russia, France, and
the UK, among others) suppressing the world's Islamic
majority countries, only to be "liberated" by a group of
students carrying Hizbut Tahrir's black and white flag.
During the performance, the announcer sharply criticized the

JAKARTA 00002202 002 OF 002


West for allowing Serbia to kill Bosnians and the U.S. for
supporting Israel.

==========================
Muhammadiyah Chair Attends
==========================


9. (SBU) The most well-known Indonesian leader to attend the
event was Din Syamsuddin, the head of Muhammadiyah,
Indonesia's second-largest mass-Muslim organization with an
estimated 35 million followers. Syamsuddin delivered brief
remarks, reportedly stating that the "international
caliphate" was a good idea, as long as it could be
accomplished in concert with the Indonesian focus on national
sovereignty -- "Khalifah shouldn't undermine the
inclusiveness and pluralism of the nation," he declared.


10. (C) At an August 13 meeting at Muhammadiyah headquarters
in Jakarta, POL/C expressed concern about Syamsuddin's
participation in the event. POL/C noted to the several
Muhammadiyah officials present that their organization had a
"mainstream" reputation, which could only be tarnished by
association with HTI and its related branches around the
world. Moreover, the whole concept of re-establishing a
Caliphate was not in line with democratic and pluralistic
thinking, long a hallmark of the organization's worldview.
Sudibyo Markus, a top-tier Muhammadiyah official, replied
that Din Syamsuddin was only trying "to build bridges" to
other Muslim groups in Indonesia. He did not support
violence and had made that clear to HTI.

=============
Media Wrap-Up
=============


11. (U) The conference received balanced coverage across a
wide range of media outlets in Indonesia, with generally
factual reports and images. The most influential daily
newspapers all focused on statements to the effect that a
caliphate is not a threat, but rather a historical fact.
Leading moderate Islamic-orientated daily "Republika" and
leading nationwide daily "Kompas" quoted Din Syamsuddin, and
other dailies carried pictures of the throng in attendance.
Televised reporting also fixated on the size of the crowd.
The press did not focus on Abu Bakar Bashir and his apparent
decision not to speak at the event (made at the behest of the
police).

======================
A Net Positive for HTI
======================


12. (C) While HTI was unable to deliver on some of its
promises for the rally, it nevertheless marked a big step up
for the group which to date has primarily been a campus
movement. HTI has now emerged as a significant player among
pro-Sharia groups whose events can draw tens of thousands of
people from across Indonesia, a status previously reserved
for the Islamist Prosperous Justice Party (PKS).

HUME