DARFUR -- INDONESIAN PEACEKEEPERS GET GREEN LIGHT

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 000146

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, DRL, IO, IO/UNP, AF, AF/SPG
SECDEF FOR USDP/ISA/AP - P. IPSEN
NSC FOR E.PHU

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/24/2018
TAGS: PREL MARR KPKO PGOV ID SU
SUBJECT: DARFUR -- INDONESIAN PEACEKEEPERS GET GREEN LIGHT
FOR MISSION

REF: A. 07 JAKARTA 3410


B. 07 JAKARTA 3267

C. 07 JAKARTA 2798

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


1. (C) SUMMARY: Indonesia is preparing to send a unit made
up of approximately 150 police officers to support UNAMID
operations in Darfur. The vast majority of the force will
come from the Mobile Brigade, the police special forces
command. The planned deployment--slated to take place in
March--underscores the GOI's continued readiness to
contribute substantially to international peacekeeping
efforts. END SUMMARY.


2. (SBU) MOVING TOWARD DEPLOYMENT: Indonesia is preparing
to send peacekeepers to Darfur. The Indonesian National
Police (INP) have been anticipating deployment in support of
UNAMID since July 2007, in response to a United Nations
request. The unit was ready to deploy to the Darfur region
in November, but the GOI postponed the mission when African
Union troops were attacked in an October incident (ref C).
In December, Indonesian President Yudhoyono and INP Chief
Sutanto decided to put preparations on hold pending annual
budget discussions (ref A).


3. (C) With funds now available and the situation in Sudan
apparently more stable, Indonesian preparations have resumed
for the planned deployment. Indonesian police and other GOI
contacts have told us that--if all goes as anticipated--the
deployment will take place in March. Fikry Cassidy, Deputy
Director of Disarmament and International Security Affairs at
the Department of Foreign Affairs, told POLOFF on January 24
that Yudhoyono and Police Chief Sutanto would be meeting
shortly in order to sign the training and deployment orders.
Despite some difficulties with Sudan regarding UN landing
rights, Fikry said, the Sudanese government had given no
indication that Indonesian troops were not welcome. Police
contacts told DOJ/ICITAP Director that the Sudanese
Ambassador to Indonesia had met with Indonesian police
officials to discuss the deployment on January 23.


4. (SBU) MOBILE BRIGADE CORE: The vast majority of the
unit's troops--as well as its commander--are members of the
Mobile Brigade, the Indonesian police special forces unit.
Some of the troops have already completed training at the
Center of Excellence for Stabilization Police Units (CoESPU)
in Vicenza, Italy, which is supported, in part, by the U.S.
The unit began a four-week training program in Indonesia on
January 23. According to Major General Wenas, the commander
of the Mobile Brigade, the training will consist of three
weeks of classroom instruction and table-top exercises in
Jakarta, and a week of tactical and field training at Mobile
Brigade facilities at Cikeas, near the town of Bogor south of
Jakarta.


5. (SBU) In Darfur, the unit will be under the commander of
United Nations forces and will serve a one-year tour of duty.
Cassidy noted that the police had initially identified 432
officers for possible deployment to UNAMID, so it was
possible that additional troops might be sent in the future.


6. (C) INDONESIA AS GOOD WORLD CITIZEN: The planned
deployment of Indonesian police to Darfur underscores
Indonesia's readiness to contribute substantially to
international peacekeeping efforts (ref B). The
participation of a battalion of Indonesian peacekeepers in
UNIFIL in Lebanon is already in its second year. In addition
to the main mission, these operations provide valuable
professional experience to the Indonesian police and
military. And, by all accounts, Indonesians have proven to

JAKARTA 00000146 002 OF 002


be adept peacekeepers, including--for example--in Lebanon.

HUME