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