JAYAPURA - SPECIAL DETACHMENT 88

C O N F I D E N T I A L JAKARTA 003129 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP/MTS, S/CT, DS, DS/IP/EAP, DS/DSS/ITA AND DS/T/ATA DOJ FOR CTS THORNTON, AAG SWARTZ FBI FOR ETTIU/SSA ROTH E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/08/2017 TAGS: ASEC PTER EFIN KCRM KHLS KPAO ID SUBJECT: JAYAPURA - SPECIAL DETACHMENT 88 REF: A. A. JAKARTA 3100 ¶B. B. JAKARTA 3101 AND PREVIOUS Classified By: CLASSIFIED BY RSO JEFF LISCHKE. REASON: 1.4 (B) AND (D) . ¶1. (U) RSO recently accompanied the Ambassador to Jayapura in the province of Papua. The principal reasons for the visit was to meet Government of Indonesia (GOI) Officials and to visit the mining operations of Freeport McMoRan in Timika and BP in Babo (REF A). During the visit, the RSO inquired about Special Detachment (SD) 88 to determine if the original members of the unit, who were trained at the DS/ATA training facility in February 2007, were still together. ¶2. (C) We met the Commander of SD-88, Colonel S.H. Fachruddin, and asked him about SD-88. He stated that men from his unit comprised the Indonesian National Police (INP) protective detail for the Ambassador while in Jayapura. He added that their office is located near the housing compound where the Governor and Police Chief and local TNI Military Commander reside. Although we did not have time to visit their office and inspect their equipment, the Colonel stated that all of their DS/ATA issued equipment and vehicles were accounted for and in excellent condition. (Please note that one of the vehicles used in the Ambassador's motorcade was a SD-88 vehicle and it was in perfect condition). ¶3. (C) When asked about the composition of SD-88, Colonel Fachruddin replied that all of the 24 original members of SD-88 who received DS/ATA training in Megamendung were still part of the unit and had not been dispersed throughout Jayapura and Papua. He added that they train together as a team and provide protection for visiting dignitaries when not conducting investigations or assisting other INP units. ¶4. (C) We also met with the Wakapolda (assistant provincial police commander) for Papua, Brigadier General F.R. Andi Lolo. After discussing the arrest of Sabar Iwanggin Olif, a well-known Papuan civil rights activist (REF B),the RSO asked him about SD-88. He confirmed that the unit had not been disbanded and all of the original members were intact and under the command of Colonel Fachruddin. He thanked us for providing the training and equipment for SD-88 and seemed appreciative of USG efforts to provide training, equipment and assistance to them. ¶5. (U) POC is RSO Jeff Lischke at 62-21-3435-9013. HUME