COMMEMORATING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF DR. MARTIN

UNCLAS JAKARTA 000142 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, EAP/PD, DRL/AWH NSC FOR EPHU E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV KPAO ID SUBJECT: COMMEMORATING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. ¶1. (U) SUMMARY: A large group of Indonesian activists, labor leaders, scholars and students gathered at Pol/C's residence on January 22 to commemorate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. They watched a short film about Dr. King and the U.S. Civil Rights Movement, and listened to personal stories from Americans and an Indonesian speaker about Dr. King's influence on each of their lives. Activists and students asked many questions about Dr. King, linking his legacy to the struggle for justice and human rights around the world. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (U) On January 22, Mission hosted at San Francisco House, Pol/C's residence, approximately 65 Indonesian civil society, religious and labor leaders, academics and students for a discussion focused on the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The event was held in honor of Dr. King and what would have been his 78th birthday on January 15. The Ambassador, USAID Director, U.S. Library of Congress Director, DOJ/ICITAP Director, and other emboffs and FSN's also participated in the event. The students--about a third of whom were women--were drawn from: The University of Indonesia; Muhammadiyah University; and, Atma Jaya University. (Note: Muhammadiyah is the second-largest Muslim organization in Indonesia with a following of over 30 million. Atma Jaya is a Catholic university.) ¶3. (U) Pol/C kicked off the event, underscoring that Dr. King was not only a great American but a great world leader who still speaks to us across all boundaries today. He also read President Bush's recent statement on the life of Dr. King. Pol/C introduced a short film on Dr. King and the U.S. Civil Rights Movement. The film--produced by PAS--outlined the severity of segregation under Jim Crow, the sparking of the Civil Rights Movement, Dr. King's support for non-violence and his inspirational advocacy. ¶4. (U) Against this backdrop, one Indonesian and three Americans shared their personal experiences of Dr. King's leadership. Well-known Indonesian academic and intercultural exchange leader Irid Agoes underlined the qualities of integrity and compassion that Dr. King embodied, noting that his convictions about freedom for all people had parallels in the Indonesian struggle for independence. Agoes stressed the continuing relevance of Dr. King's message of tolerance and pluralism, and the need for Indonesians and all global citizens to respect differences. ¶5. (U) USAID Program Officer talked about how Dr. King inspired her life growing up and gave her courage to fight discrimination. DOJ/ICITAP Director discussed how Dr. King and the spirit of the Civil Rights Movement inspired him to dedicate his life to public service. (Note: DOJ/ICITAP Director was a recipient of the Dr. King "Living the Dream" award for his achievements in police-community relations as a police officer in Arizona.) ¶6. (U) Ambassador Hume related his experience as a teenager traveling to join the 1963 March on Washington and listening in the audience on the Mall to Dr. King's "I have a Dream" speech. Of Dr. King's importance, Ambassador Hume said: "Dr. King was a great man. In the lifetime of anyone here, his leadership was the most important thing that happened to the U.S. since the end of the Second World War. He changed not only what it meant to be a citizen, but what it meant to be a person." ¶7. (U) The discussion segment of the event was lively, with students, activists and academics asking many questions about the U.S. civil rights situation today and reflecting on Indonesia's own human rights situation. Students said that prior to the program they had only a vague concept of Dr. King and his contributions, but that the event had educated them on the meaning of his life and its international implications. HUME