INDONESIA/BURMA: IN REBUFF TO GOI, LEGISLATORS

C O N F I D E N T I A L JAKARTA 002846 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS (COPE),EAP/RSP, IO/UNP (WICKBERG),G (CURRIE) NSC FOR EPHU E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/09/2017 TAGS: PREL PGOV ID BM SUBJECT: INDONESIA/BURMA: IN REBUFF TO GOI, LEGISLATORS BLOCK DIPLOMATIC APPOINTMENTS REF: A. JAKARTA 2829 AND PREVIOUS ¶B. RANGOON 986 AND PREVIOUS Classified By: Pol/C Joseph Legend Novak, reasons 1.4 (b,d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: Escalating their response to the Burmese crackdown, Indonesian legislators have blocked the appointment of a new Indonesian envoy to Burma and put on hold agrement for Burma's new ambassador-designate to Indonesia. The move to block the two appointments may be temporary, but is symbolic of growing legislative, civil society and public anger toward the Burmese regime--and enhanced scrutiny of the GOI's measured response. END SUMMARY ¶2. (C) DPR TAKES HARD-LINE: The Indonesian legislature (DPR) temporarily shot down a pair of diplomatic appointments involving Indonesia and Burma. In an October 9 conversation with Pol/C, Djoko Susilo, Chair of the DPR's Myanmar Caucus and a member of Commission I dealing with foreign and security affairs, confirmed press reports that the commission had met October 8 and decided that: --The DPR will not support agrement for Burma's new ambassador-designate to Indonesia "at this time"; and, --The DPR will not confirm Indonesia's new ambassador-designate to Burma "at this time." (Note: Indonesian law requires that the DPR approve both Indonesian envoys sent abroad as well as nominees for foreign chiefs of mission accredited to Indonesia. Mission's understanding is that Indonesia is currently represented by a charge d'affairs in Rangoon while the Burmese ambassador in Jakarta is set to be replaced. End Note.) ¶3. (C) Susilo said the DPR had decided not to cooperate with the GOI--which had supported the appointments--because it was "important that Indonesia show its real displeasure with the Myanmar regime's vicious actions." When asked whether he thought the Indonesian government would press the DPR to support the appointments again soon, he said he thought they would "wait some time" to ensure that they had enough support. Susilo added that the DPR had strongly urged the government to press ASEAN not/not to allow Burma to sign the ASEAN Charter during the November summit in Singapore -- "We could not tolerate seeing a member of the Burmese regime sitting next to our President during such a ceremony." He conceded, however, that the DPR had no way to force the GOI's hand on this matter short of "public pressure." ¶4. (C) GOI MULLS OPTIONS: A dejected-sounding Gudadi Bambang Sasongko, Deputy Director for East Asian and Pacific Affairs at the Department of Foreign Affairs (DEPLU),told Pol/C that he had attended the October 8 hearing and had been surprised by how "forceful" the DPR was on the matter of Burma. Sasongko noted that DPR members had presented a list of "tough questions" about Indonesian policy toward Burma which the GOI was now working to answer. He did not know when or whether the GOI would try to press forward with the diplomatic appointments. ¶5. (C) REGIME'S ACTIONS REAP ANGER: The move to block the diplomatic appointments may be temporary--the Indonesian government may well try to press forward in the near-term using its DPR allies. The October 8 rebuff, however, is symbolic of growing legislative, civil society and public anger toward the Burmese regime. In light of this political environment, it will be difficult for the Palace or DEPLU to act toward Burma in any context--bilateral, ASEAN, UN--without considering the domestic reaction. Thus, any effort to resuscitate "constructive engagment"--something which DEPLU has hinted at vaguely--will not wear well. HEFFERN