RELIGIOUS FREEDOM -- CONTINUED PRESSURE ON ISLAMIC

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 003174

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, DRL, DRL/IRF, INR/EAP
NSC FOR EPHU

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/15/2017
TAGS: PGOV KISL PHUM PREL ID
SUBJECT: RELIGIOUS FREEDOM -- CONTINUED PRESSURE ON ISLAMIC
SECTS

REF: JAKARTA 3042

Classified By: Pol/C Joseph Legend Novak, reasons 1.4 (b,d).


1. (C) SUMMARY: The leader of a small Islamic
sect--Al-Qiyadah--labeled deviant by the Indonesian Ulema
Council (MUI) has announced that he has "repented" and
returned to mainstream Islam. Police and the MUI continue to
investigate Al-Qiyadah and other minority sects, and are
actively pressuring Al-Qiyadah followers to convert back to
Sunni orthodox Islamic teachings. Mainstream Islamic groups
have been broadly supportive of police and MUI handling of
the matter. Some NGO leaders, however, fear the government's
treatment of the sect puts fundamental rights at risk.
Mission continues to stress the need for religious freedom
and tolerance. END SUMMARY.

RETURNING TO THE "TRUE PATH"


2. (C) The leader of the small Islamic sect Al-Qiyadah has
apologized for his actions. Achmad Moshaddeq, who claimed to
be an Islamic prophet, "repented" and announced his return to
mainstream Islam and the "true path." Following two days of
meetings with the police and two key Muslim
organizations--MUI and Nahdlatul Ulama--Moshaddeq addressed
the public on November 9. He admitted that he was just "a
regular human being" and conceded that "there isn't and there
won't be any other prophets other than Muhammad until
judgment day." He remains under police detention.


3. (C) The comments followed weeks of mounting pressure
against the small, but rapidly growing sect that had
apparently unsettled mainstream Islamic groups across Java,
Sumatra and parts of Sulawesi. Police and MUI efforts to
control the growth of sects in Indonesia was supported this
week by a Supreme Court ruling that sentenced the deputy
leader of a separate sect to three years in prison.


4. (C) Moshaddeq may escape from the affair without too many
problems after his recantation, though many of his followers
continue to face persecution. In his public remarks,
Moshaddeq announced plans to spread "true" Islamic teachings
from now on. Police have also speculated that his
"conversion" may help him escape prosecution. Efforts to
convict Moshaddeq on charges of blasphemy, which carries a
maximum five-year sentence, are further complicated by the
fact that the Attorney General's Office has not yet banned
Al-Qiyadah despite the urgings of the MUI. For Moshaddeq's
followers, the future is not bright. An Al-Qiyadah member in
hiding in Jakarta told poloff that followers face a choice
between jail and re-conversion to Sunni orthodox Islam. Our
contact alleged that police are demanding as much as Rp
5,000,000 (more than $500 USD) to carry out "re-conversions."


CONCERNS


5. (C) Moshaddeq's announcement could cause the Al-Qiyadah
controversy to disappear as quickly as it arose. A member of
MUI's fatwa committee told poloff that since Moshaddeq's
apology, the situation has "stabilized." Police and MUI
handling of the sect has been broadly supported by mainstream
Islamic groups. A member of Muhammadiyah's Central Board
told poloff that the group fully supports MUI and recognizes
MUI's responsibility "to define" Islam.


6. (C) In a November 14 meeting with Mission officers, the
Chair of the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM)
said he supported police actions to limit the freedom of
belief only in order to preserve public order. However,
Komnas HAM is conducting an assessment of freedom of religion
in Indonesia, he added, an area of increasing concern among
human rights and other activists. Sidney Jones--an Amcit and
Indonesia expert with the International Crisis Group--told
Pol/C she was concerned that the government's handling of the
problem was putting freedom of religion and expression at
risk. She said MUI and other organizations were trying to
enforce a form of Sunni orthodoxy throughout the country and
"crush" Islamic groups that held other forms of belief. What

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was even of greater concern, she added, was that the
Indonesian government was working with MUI to put pressure on
the sects.

A POSITIVE RELIGIOUS FREEDOM RECORD


7. (C) Indonesia has a generally positive religious freedom
record, though human rights issues do come up from time to
time. Jones noted that the country was "basically tolerant"
toward its many ethnic and religious groups. That said,
these actions against Islamic sects hurt that positive
record. Mission will continue to underscore our concerns to
the Indonesian government.

HUME