SULAWESI -- GOI EFFORTS TO IMPROVE POST-CONFLICT

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 000180 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, INR/EAP, DS/IP/EAP, S/CT DS/T/ATA NSC FOR E. PHU E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/29/2018 TAGS: PGOV PINS SOCI ECON ID SUBJECT: SULAWESI -- GOI EFFORTS TO IMPROVE POST-CONFLICT SITUATION IN POSO REF: A. JAKARTA 11 ¶B. 07 JAKARTA 3350 ¶C. 07 JAKARTA 3214 ¶D. 07 SURABAYA 74 Classified By: Pol/C Joseph Legend Novak, reasons 1.4 (b+d). ¶1. (U) This message was coordinated with Consulate General Surabaya. ¶2. (C) SUMMARY: The GOI has made significant progress in the past year in solidifying the security situation in Poso, Central Sulawesi, a region which had been afflicted by inter-religious violence. In order to maintain the tentative peace and make it permanent, the government has developed an integrated strategy that aims to strengthen the local economy and educational opportunities, while battling endemic corruption. Although the situation in Poso remains fragile, the GOI appears to have developed a solid mid- to long-term program of action in what had been a very troubled region. END SUMMARY. A FRAGILE PEACE ¶3. (C) By most accounts, the violent conflict that impacted the Central Sulawesi region, particularly the Poso area, has abated (see reftels). (NOTE: Poso is a region of about 300,000 residents located on Sulawesi Island in central Indonesia.) The tensions that simmered and sometimes spiked between local Muslims and Christians from 1998-2006 have been largely tamped down, allowing--for example--for a local festival to take place that had been canceled during the years of the violence. All of this was achieved, in part, by successful--and continuing--GOI outreach efforts to press the two communities toward negotiation and discussion. Moreover, the January 2007 police raids on Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) and other radical groups in Poso largely cleared the area of violent terrorists and other extremists. These elements had sought to take advantage of the tensions in the region and spark an inter-religious war. FOCUS ON THE ECONOMY ¶4. (C) Though Poso has made progress, much more needs to be done. With the security situation approaching some semblance of normality, the government is now looking at ways to move the Poso region permanently beyond conflict. Improving the poor economic situation is key. The Poso region is a lush, tropical area located on a picturesque coast. The local economy is based on subsistence farming and fishing. The GOI and local government are seeking Indonesian and foreign investment for the area. Poso Chief of Police H. Adeni Muhan told poloff during a November 2007 meeting that economic development is the key to long-term peace and stability. Both Muslim and Christian leaders have also underlined the importance of job creation in keeping the peace. Given its natural beauty (and the newfound peace in the region),one possibility is investment in the tourist sector. Six million dollars have also been allocated to improve local infrastructure, which had been damaged by years of conflict. EDUCATION IS ALSO KEY ¶5. (C) The government is also making efforts to provide new educational opportunities. According to experts, many radicals in Poso were graduates of one local pesantren (Islamic boarding school). The director of the school had recruited teachers that espoused hatred toward non-Muslims, while the school had even harbored known fugitive extremists. After the raids, the school was shut down, and the teachers returned to their homes on the islands of Java and Sumatra. Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Kalla (a native of Sulawesi) championed the building of a new pesantren, scheduled to open in March. The government has also opened a vocational school meant to provide job skills to terrorists recently released from prison and to others who are identified as potential troublemakers. The school is meant to instruct former terrorists and others in how to earn a living wage, so they JAKARTA 00000180 002 OF 002 can participate in society in a constructive fashion. The GOI is also working on long-term plans to overhaul the local educational system. FIGHTING CORRUPTION ¶6. (C) While the GOI's plans are moving forward, corruption is also seen as a real problem that needs to be dealt with. According to observers, if the national and local governments are not perceived by citizens to be practicing good governance, mistrust between both religious groups may grow due to the perception that one side is benefiting more than the other. According to Sidney Jones of the International Crisis Group (an NGO specializing in security issues),proper auditing of the funds at all levels of government is essential to keep trust with the local citizenry. Fairness in disbursing the funds is also critical to ensure that neither community feels neglected. GOI contacts have told us that they are aware of these areas of concern and are working to address them in line with President Yudhoyono's national anti-corruption campaign. IT WILL TAKE TIME ¶7. (C) The government clearly understands that nothing can be done without security and it continues to focus on rooting out extremists (who--though their presence is diminished--clearly remain in the Poso area). Community outreach also remains a focus. While the situation in Poso remains fragile, the GOI appears to have developed a solid mid- to long-term program of action meant to move the region beyond the conflicts of the immediate past. That said, in order to fully address the underlying tensions, it will take time for the government's program of action to work. As the GOI moves forward with its plans in Poso, the USG will work with it to see how it can assist. HUME