MAJOR MUSLIM GROUP SPONSORS CONFERENCE; MODERATE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 JAKARTA 001260 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, DRL, DRL/AWH, DRL/IRF NSC FOR E. PHU E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/27/2018 TAGS: PGOV PREL PINS KIRF KISL ID SUBJECT: MAJOR MUSLIM GROUP SPONSORS CONFERENCE; MODERATE VOICES DOMINATE REF: JAKARTA 1143 AND PREVIOUS JAKARTA 00001260 001.2 OF 003 Classified By: Pol/C Joseph Legend Novak, reasons 1.4(b+d). ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Over a hundred prominent experts from 27 countries gathered to discuss the topic of "Addressing Facets of Violence: What can be Done?" at the Second World Peace Forum hosted by Muhammadiyah--Indonesia's second-largest Muslim organization with over 30 million members. The event--which received significant local media coverage--was held June 24-26 in Jakarta. Ambassador Hume participated in a panel discussion focused on how democracy can contain violence. ¶2. (C) SUMMARY (Con'd): While some speakers broadcast strident anti-U.S., anti-Israel views, moderate perspectives dominated with many panelists denouncing religious extremism, terrorism and authoritarianism. Despite a recent GOI decree constraining a Muslim sect, the holding of the conference highlighted Indonesia's continued interest in international inter-religious dialogue. END SUMMARY. PRESIDENT OPENS PROCEEDINGS ¶3. (SBU) The conference was opened on June 24 by President Yudhoyono amid a turbulent student protest against fuel hikes at the nearby national Parliament building. In a typically Javanese subtle reference to the turmoil outside, Yudhoyono called for a "culture of peace especially among the youth" and the need for youth to be taught "dialogue, negotiation and confidence building." ¶4. (SBU) The conference was hosted by Muhammadiyah's Chair Din Syamsuddin and organized by Muhammadiyah's Centre for Dialogue and Cooperation among Civilizations (CDCC). (Note: After Nahdlatul Ulama, Muhammidiyah is Indonesia's largest religious organization. It is highly respected and generally moderate in tone. CDCC is generally considered one of Muhammidiyah's more moderate bodies.) The generally constructive nature of the conference--which included prominent speakers of many faiths--was a reflection of the CDCC's pluralistic approach. ¶5. (U) Many scholars and former world leaders attended, as well as some of Indonesia's most respected moderate civic society and government leaders. Several Iranian nationals were listed as participants, including Ayatollah Mohammad Ali �A;Tashkiri and Ayatollah Seyyad Hassan Rabbani of a Tehran-based group called "Global Assembly for Proximity of Islamic Schools of Thought": Seyyed Mohammad Ali Abtahi of the Institute for Inter-religious Dialogue; and, Iranian envoy to Indonesia Behrooz Kamalvandi. ¶6. (U) In addition, several Americans participated, including: -- Hasan Ali Yurtsever, President of the Rumi Forum in Washington, D.C.; -- Mark Juergensmeyer, Director of the Center for Global and International Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara; -- Rev. William F. Vendley, Secretary General of Religions for Peace International, New York; and, -- Indira Pintak, University of California, Berkeley, and currently a Fulbright scholar in Cairo. FOCUS ON TOLERANCE ¶7. (SBU) Discussion centered on appeals for more tolerance JAKARTA 00001260 002.2 OF 003 and dialogue, and the value of aspects of secularism and freedom of religion. Participants also discussed the need for moderate Muslims to regain the high ground from radicals, the latter point emphasized by many Muslim speakers. Yurtsever, a Turkish-American ecumenical leader, pointed out that if religious followers lived up to their own holy books there were would be no violence. Former Muhammadiyah Chairman Syafii Maarif stated: "All Muslims in the world, especially in the Arab world, must seriously and honestly practice Islamic teachings" in order to "create peace and reduce violence." ¶8. (SBU) Rev. Vendley of the NGO Religions for Peace International and other participants talked about how religion is used for political purposes to promote violence. Vendley said governments are not elected for "theological expertise." Vendley also noted Indonesia's handling of the Islamic sect Ahmadiyah, which recently had its freedom severely restricted. Given its context, this comment was probably an indirect means to prompt debate, and audience members, both foreign and Indonesian, responded by criticizing restrictions on Ahmadiyah. AMBASSADOR'S REMARKS ¶9. (SBU) In the panel called "Can Democracy Contain Violence?" held on June 26, Ambassador Hume said a country cannot rely on democracy alone to stop violence. Democracy, however, does give governments a form of legitimacy in that the people look to the government as the lawgiver and as an institution to prevent violence. He cited factors which help democratic societies prevent violence, including: tolerance and dialogue, and an ability to deal with stress such as economic problems and bad governance. Democracy is not self regulating, he pointed out, so when these stresses arise people have to work to address them. Ambassador Hume cited other conditions needed for a democratic society to prevent violence: -- An opportunity for freedom of expression and belief; without these there is no legitimate democracy and without the space these freedoms provide "there will be no peace": and, -- Rule of law which at the very least provides a feeling in society that the government enforces the laws agreed to in the democratic process. Ideally this extends to providing education, health care, etc. ¶10. (SBU) In his well-received remarks, Ambassador Hume cited Indonesia as an example of a democratic system which succeeded in bringing peace to Aceh through dialogue, providing the Acehnese a sense of dignity and self worth. Previous authoritarian solutions sponsored by authoritarian regimes had failed in Aceh. ¶11. (SBU) Leading Indonesian Islamic scholar Azuymardi Azra concurred with the Ambassador. He added that violence in a democratic society is often sparked by lack of civic culture, good governance, law enforcement, and equitable economic conditions. ON INDONESIAN DEMOCRACY ¶12. (SBU) Rizal Sukma, Deputy Director of the Jakarta-based Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and a high-level Muhammadiyah official, said both democratic and authoritarian regimes contain violence. While Suharto's New Order regime was less turbulent than today's democracy, it failed on issues of morality and human dignity, and ultimately was not sustainable. The main point is that the transition to democracy is always painful and Indonesia is a JAKARTA 00001260 003.2 OF 003 prime example of a "messy democracy." That said, democracy is, without a doubt, in Indonesia to stay, he remarked. In Indonesia, much violence is connected with elections as people are still learning to handle their newfound political space, he concluded. STRESSING INTER-RELIGIOUS DIALOGUE ¶13. (C) Some speakers broadcast strident anti-U.S., anti-Israel views, though the prevalent tone was one of moderation. The holding of the conference highlighted Indonesia's continued interest in international inter-religious dialogue. This has been a very important focus for President Yudhoyono who often speaks of the need for tolerance and who has had his government sponsor international conferences on the matter. All that said, the conference was held at a bit of an inauspicious time for Indonesia given the GOI's recent decree constraining Muslim sect Ahmadiyah. There is little doubt that Indonesia's relatively positive record on religious freedom and tolerance took a hit due to that negative step, HUME