BURMA -- RAISING PUBLIC AWARENESS IN INDONESIA

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 001663

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR EAP, EAP/MLS, EAP/PD (FOR KSTOLTZ),DRL FOR
GPAZ,
EAP/MTS, EAP/RSP, G (CURRIE)
NSC FOR EPHU

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/03/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL EAID KDEM BM ID
SUBJECT: BURMA -- RAISING PUBLIC AWARENESS IN INDONESIA

REF: A. JAKARTA 1143

B. JAKARTA 1017

C. JAKARTA 481

JAKARTA 00001663 001.2 OF 002


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


1. (U) This is an Action Request. Please see para 7.


2. (C) SUMMARY: As a spin-off from Mission's successful
conference on Burma in March, a key Indonesian legislator is
planning a road show at university campuses in order to raise
public awareness of Burma-related issues. This
legislator--and some other members of the Indonesian
parliament (DPR)--want to increase public knowledge of the
Burmese regime and its abuses, and stimulate discussion of
ways that Indonesians can help support change there. Action
request asks Department to review steps that the USG can take
to support this effort, including via assisting the
organizers in funding. The UK is already providing support.
END SUMMARY.

A KEY MP REVIEWS PLANS


3. (C) Mission contacts want to assist in raising concerns
about Burma. Djoko Susilo, a leading DPR Burma caucus
member, has reviewed with us his plans to travel to several
large, prestigious Indonesian universities in various parts
of the country in order to hold seminars to inform faculty
and students about the human rights situation in Burma. The
series of seminars will incorporate a photo exhibit on
Burma's plight as well as sponsor expert speakers. Susilo
told DepPol/C that the seminars would also serve to highlight
"Indonesia's role as a guiding light of democracy in the
region" and urge Indonesians to spread the message
internationally. (Note: The DPR is about the review the
ASEAN Charter, which Susilo has deep concerns about.
Specifically, he is worried that it does not support human
rights enough and contains nothing mandatory re Burma, for
example. See Ref A regarding how this debate is shaping up.)


4. (C) Also a member of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary
Myanmar Caucus, Susilo attended much of the two-day
EAP/PD-funded Burma conference sponsored by the Mission in
March (Ref C). He said the conference inspired him to be
more active on the Burma issue. He also took part in a May
visit by Burmese exiles sponsored by the National Democratic
Institute (NDI) (Ref B). This road show would be the third
major civil society activity this year supporting democracy
in Burma.

UK SUPPORT


5. (C) The British Embassy is already sponsoring Susilo's
seminars at the following three universities: the University
of Indonesia in Jakarta; University of Gadjah Mada in
Yogyakarta; and, Airlangga University in Surabaya. British
Political Counselor Piers Cozalet told us that he hopes to
time the first seminar in mid-October with a visit by a
British junior minister, who would address the seminar.


6. (C) Following the first tour to the first three
universities, Susilo would like to take the tour to three
other major universities, including in the major cities of
Bandung and Semarang, later this year. He asked us if the
USG could sponsor the expanded tour, which would cost about
USD 6,000. This USD 6,000 would be used to cover the cost of
three speakers, including travel, as well as the staging of
the photo exhibit.

ACTION REQUEST

JAKARTA 00001663 002.2 OF 002




7. (C) We think the USG should strongly support these plans.
Mission would specifically like to request USD 6,000 from
the Department to fund the university road show idea. As
discussed, previous civil society activities proved highly
effective in garnering public and GOI attention on this
issue. That said, more needs to be done to spread concern
about Burma to an even wider Indonesian audience in this key
Southeast Asian country.
HUME