HUMAN RIGHTS -- PRESSING GOI ON DETAINED PAPUAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 JAKARTA 003062 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, DRL/AWH, DRL/IRF, EAP/MLS INR FOR CHARLIE ZENZIE NSC FOR EPHU E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/02/2017 TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM KISL ID SUBJECT: HUMAN RIGHTS -- PRESSING GOI ON DETAINED PAPUAN ACTIVIST; PERSECUTION OF MUSLIM SECT REF: A. JAKARTA 3042 ¶B. JAKARTA 3041 ¶C. JAKARTA 3015 ¶D. JAKARTA 2878 ¶E. 06 JAKARTA 13476 JAKARTA 00003062 001.2 OF 003 Classified By: Pol/C Joseph Legend Novak, reasons 1.4 (b,d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: In November 2 conversations with Indonesian government contacts, Pol/C forcefully underscored U.S. concern over the continued detention of Iwanggin--a well-known Papuan human rights activist--and the persecution of Al-Qiyadah, a small Islamic sect. The head of the National Human Rights Commission (KOMNAS HAM) told Pol/C that his organization was pressing the GOI on both of these matters. A letter to the Department from a human rights group about Iwanggin is contained in para 8. END SUMMARY. PAPUA ACTIVIST UPDATE ¶2. (C) Based on Mission's latest soundings, Iwanggin Sabir Olif remains under police detention. He was first detained by the Indonesian police in Papua on October 18 for "defamation" and subsequently brought to Jakarta for further investigation (ref B). The Deputy Police Chief of Papua told the Ambassador, who currently is visiting Papua, on November 2 that Iwanggin had been transferred back to Jayapura, Papua, from Jakarta the previous night, although Iwanggin was still in custody. Mission is closely following the status of the case through human rights, GOI and police contacts. On October 31, East Timor and Indonesia Action Network (ETAN),a human rights group, posted on its website a letter to Secretary Rice calling for U.S. action on the case. The text SIPDIS of this posting is included in para 8. Mission has not received an actual copy of the letter. ¶3. (C) In November 2 conversations with contacts in the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Coordinating Ministry of Politics, Law and Security, Pol/C forcefully underscored U.S. concern over the detention of Iwanggin. Pol/C noted that the case did not--at the very least--make Indonesia look good, as it seemed as if the GOI was trying to stifle a voice from Papua's human rights community. Pol/C stressed that Iwanggin needed to be released from detention immediately unless firm, credible charges were brought. GOI contacts promised to look further into the case. ¶4. (C) Mission understands from police contacts that authorities intend to charge Iwanggin under articles 134 and 160 of the criminal code for "defamation" to the president and "inciting violence or other public disturbance," respectively (ref B). This, despite a recent Constitutional Court ruling which struck down article 134 criminalizing defamation of government leaders (ref E). By law, the police can hold Iwanggin for 30 days without formally charging him with a specific crime. On the positive side, according to Papuan human rights activist Aloysius Renarwin, Iwanggin has had regular access to legal counsel (ref B). ¶5. (C) Detachment 88 Role: We understand that the intelligence unit of the anti-terrorist police task force, Detachment 88, in Papua was contacted directly by the Jakarta Criminal Investigations Unit (CID) to monitor Iwanggin's cell phone last month under the initial guise that his actions were a form of terrorism. Now that terrorism charges are not being pursued, Detachment 88 is no longer involved in the case, according to contacts. When poloff met with SD-88 commander Brigadier General Bekto Suprapto on October 26, Bekto was not aware that his Papua detachment had any involvement except to act as back-up for CID officers who actually conducted the arrest operation (ref c). The Papua Deputy Police Chief confirmed to the Ambassador in Jayapura on November 2 that SD-88 had been involved in the initial stages of the case but was no longer involved. PERSECUTION OF MUSLIM SECT ¶6. (C) With GOI contacts, Pol/C has also underscored serious concern about the treatment of Al-Qiyadah, a small Muslim sect. Pol/C noted that the detention of the sect's leaders JAKARTA 00003062 002.2 OF 003 and destruction of their property was a very serious violation of religious freedom. Pol/C urged the GOI to take a quick step back, and to release the detainees and stop the vigilante activities. In a press conference attended by poloff on November 1, the Coalition for Freedom of Belief and Religion called for a stop to the persecution of the sect and the "criminalization" of such sects based on religious edicts issued by the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI),which is trying to enforce some kind of Sunni orthodoxy (ref A). ¶7. (C) Re this case, the head of KOMNAS HAM (the national human rights group) told Pol/C that he had sent a letter to the Indonesian government urging that it protect sect members and not ban the group. Some local governments are reportedly preparing to ban the sect (ref A) and the national government is apparently studying a proposal to do that based on the premise that the group is a danger to the public. ETAN LETTER ¶8. (U) Text of ETAN letter to the USG re Iwanggin, as posted on its website: October 31, 2007 The Honorable Condoleezza Rice Secretary of State SIPDIS Department of State Washington, DC 20520 Dear Madame Secretary, We are writing in order to bring to your urgent attention the arrest of human rights lawyer Iwanggin Sabar Olif in Jayapura on October 18, 2007. According to statements by officials at the time of his arrest, the arrest was made under a law dating to the Suharto dictatorship era which criminalizes "insulting the President." That law was ruled unconstitutional by the Indonesian Constitutional Court in December 2006. Specifically, Olif is accused of forwarding to five close associates a text message that alleged that President Yudhoyono was involved in a program targeting ordinary Papuans with poisoning, kidnapping and other actions, reports of which have recently swept West Papua. Olif did not write the message. This arrest occurred in the context of a broad crackdown on Papuan critics of the Yudhoyono government. Papuan human rights advocates who met in June with senior UN official Hina Jilani have been especially targeted. As you know, Jilani visited West Papua in June as representative of the UN Secretary General regarding human rights defenders. SIPDIS We are especially concerned that witnesses to the arrest of Olif have said that a detachment from "Team 88" carried out the arrest. Contradicting these eyewitness accounts, the Indonesian government has claimed that Team 88 personnel were not involved in the arrest. Any involvement by the U.S.-funded Team 88, purportedly an anti-terrorism unit, is of particular concern for two reasons. In this case, the Indonesian police appear to be confusing dissent with terrorism, and Team 88 personnel have been credibly accused of torture, kidnapping and other fundamental violations of human rights. We strongly urge that the United States Embassy in Jakarta closely monitor developments related to the arrest of Iwanggin Sabar Olif, especially to assure that he is not mistreated in detention and that he is not the victim of injustice. More broadly, the United States Government should probe the ongoing crackdown targeting human rights defenders and religious leaders in West Papua with a view to pressing the Indonesian Government, and more specifically the security units acting in its name, to end the intimidation of human rights defenders. Among those targeted are: Albert Rumbekwan, Chief of the Indonesia National Human Rights Commission for West Papua, human rights advocate Christian Warinussy of Manokwari, and Father John Jongga, a Catholic JAKARTA 00003062 003.2 OF 003 Priest in the Jayapura diocese. Amnesty International, among other leading international human rights organization have issued reports on this crackdown. Finally, we remain deeply concerned by reports that the United States-supported Team 88 continues to violate fundamental human rights. This raises questions about the effectiveness of any human rights training which may accompany U.S. assistance to Indonesia's security forces. Absent an end to these violations and punishment of those who have violated human rights, we urge an end to United States support for Team 88. Sincerely, Ed McWilliams, West Papua Advocacy Team John M. Miller, National Coordinator, East Timor and Indonesia Action Network cc:Members of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives HUME