RELIGIOUS FREEDOM -- MINORITY SECT UNDER PRESSURE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 001276 SIPDIS DEPT. FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, DRL, DRL/AWH, DRL/IRF NSC FOR EPHU E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/30/2018 TAGS: PGOV KIRF PREL ID SUBJECT: RELIGIOUS FREEDOM -- MINORITY SECT UNDER PRESSURE REF: JAKARTA 1143 AND PREVIOUS JAKARTA 00001276 001.2 OF 002 Classified By: Pol/C Joseph Legend Novak, reasons 1.4(b+d). ¶1. (U) This message was coordinated with Consulate General Surabaya and Consulate Medan. ¶2. (C) SUMMARY: Mission continues to receive reports of discrimination against the Ahmadiyah religious sect. Mission has received reports, for example, that in West Java eight Ahmadi mosques have been sealed by vigilantes. In other areas, Ahmadis are practicing freely and, nationally, there has been no reported violence against Ahmadis since the GOI issued its decree constraining the sect on June 9. In meetings with the government, Mission continues to raise concerns about the treatment accorded the Ahmadis. END SUMMARY. ANTI-AHMADIYAH DISCRIMINATION ¶3. (SBU) Mission continues to receive reports of discrimination against members and facilities of the Ahmadiyah religious sect. This, despite GOI assertions that the group will be protected in the aftermath of the government's June 9 decree severely constraining the religious freedom of the group (see reftel). Ahmadis in West Java, for example, have been among the Ahmadi communities most targeted by local government restrictions and anti-Ahmadi vigilante activity. On June 25, Ahmadiyah national spokesperson Shamsir Ali told POL FSN that local vigilante groups sealed at least eight mosques in West Java in the last month. According to press reports, vigilante groups sealed mosques in Cianjur, West Java, and one in Bogor, West Java. ¶4. (U) In addition, many non-Ahmadiyah businesses and houses have reportedly begun sporting signs marking them as "not Ahmadiyah" in Parakan Salak village, Sukabumi Regency, West Java. Mission received similar reports from NGOs monitoring religious freedom in Majalengka, West Java. The Commission on Violence Against Women (Komnas Perempuan) revealed similar findings in their recently released report on discrimination against Ahmadi women and children. The group detailed ongoing discrimination since local government edicts restricting Ahmadiyah activities began surfacing in 2005. AHMADIS CONTINUE TO WORSHIP IN MOST AREAS ¶5. (SBU) That said, Ahmadis continued to worship in most areas of the country. In West Sumatra, Ahmadiyah leadership and the local government decided to remove Ahmadiyah-related public signs to send a signal that Ahmadiyah was working in good faith to comply with the June edict (which basically called for them to cease public activities). On June 13, Ahmadiyah leadership for West Sumatra joined the Mayor of Padang, H. Fauzi Bahar, in removing signs outside the local Ahmadiyah office. Over the next few weeks, Ahmadiyah plans to remove all the organization's signs in the province. ¶6. (SBU) On June 27, the Ahmadiyah-West Sumatra head told Mission that the move was well received. The Ahmadiyah office remains open-though sign-less--and he said the move will not affect the community's worship or practice. Ahmadis in Langkat, North Sumatra, told Consulate Medan that they have not been affected by the June 9 decree. On According to initial reports from contacts and press in Central Sulawesi in central Indonesia and the Malukus in eastern Indonesia, there has been very little anti-Ahmadi sentiment since the June decree. Ahmadis in Jakarta have also continued to worship. RAISING U.S. CONCERNS ¶7. (C) Mission continues to raise concerns about the treatment accorded the Ahmadis by the government. Pol/C has JAKARTA 00001276 002.2 OF 002 raised these concerns in recent meetings with officials in the President's and the Vice President's offices. On June 30, DepPol/C also raised USG concerns regarding the impact of the joint decree in a meeting with Ministry of Religious Affairs Head of Islamic Community Guidance Nasaruddin Umar. DepPol/C underscored concerns that the government has not cracked down on anti-Ahmadiyah actions in West Java, including reports of several mosques being sealed by vigilante groups. (Note: Previously, Vice President Kalla and other senior officials had said the joint decree would allow Ahmadis to freely worship within their communities--see reftel.) ¶8. (C) Umar told DepPol/C that the police had not interfered with mosque-sealing because they wanted to avoid a clash. Umar emphasized, however, that the police would not allow the mosques to remain closed. POSITIVES AND NEGATIVES ¶9. (C) The positive news is that there has apparently not been any violence inflicted on Ahmadis despite the issuance of the decree. Our guess is that the GOI would move quickly if such violence broke out. The reported closure of the mosques and other forms of pressure are of concern, however. Per Umar's comments above, the GOI, hopefully will work to re-open those mosques which have been sealed. Mission will continue to work to confirm that. HUME