INDONESIA: KEEPING MOMENTUM GOING AFTER THE CTF

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 002158 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, EAP/RSP, DRL, DRL/AWH NSC FOR EPHU E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/24/2018 TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM ID TT SUBJECT: INDONESIA: KEEPING MOMENTUM GOING AFTER THE CTF REF: A. A. JAKARTA 1937 ¶B. B. JAKARTA 1924 JAKARTA 00002158 001.2 OF 002 Classified By: DepPol/C Stanley Harsha, reasons 1.4(b+d) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: Human rights groups and Indonesian government officials have expressed willingness to publicize and implement recommendations of the Timor-Leste/Indonesia Commission on Truth and Friendship (CTF) report regarding the gross human rights violations which took place following the 1999 referendum. New opportunities exist for the USG to support these efforts. Other countries also want to collaborate in promoting the CTF reforms. Mission will request support for these initiatives as soon as we receive specific project initiatives. POSSIBLE INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE ¶2. (C) Poloff met November 18 with Lazro Simbolon, Deputy Director of Human Rights, Indonesian Department of Foreign Affairs, in charge of disseminating the report. So far, distribution of the report has been limited to a few government ministries, media, and universities (ref A). Lazro said the Indonesian government is currently focused on the global financial crisis and publicizing the report is no longer taking precedence. Lazro welcomed third party assistance and funding, particularly from the USG, to move forward with the report's recommendations. Although the report was sent to the national Parliament, it has yet to come up for discussion. NGOS COULD TAKE THE LEAD ¶3. (C) Several NGOs have begun disseminating the report. Tri Agus, a respected Timor-Leste human rights advocate active in Indonesia, told poloff the Indonesian government's progress in publicly disseminating the report has been slow and suggested NGOs could take up the slack. With the upcoming national elections in spring 2009, Agus said he expects no further progress from the Indonesian government in the near future. Asmara Nababa, a human rights researcher, told poloff most Indonesians do not fully understand the 1999 events in Timor-Leste and blamed nationalists and former military leaders for resisting government efforts in further publicizing the report. Noting the lack of progress, she said NGOs should begin holding public seminars on the report. According to Nababa, this is the only way to break the culture of impunity within the security sector and reinforce human rights within the military establishment. Another local NGO, KONTRAS, plans to hold a public discussion about the report in early December. ¶4. (SBU) CTF recommendations bearing on Indonesia include: -- a human rights training program with emphasis on the obligation of the military to remain neutral in political controversies and elections; and, -- enhanced authority for institutions charged with investigation and prosecutions for human rights violations allegedly committed by members of security forces, among other very specific suggestions to promote reform. ¶5. (C) An influential member of Parliament and supporter of CTF recommendations, Marzuki Darusman, told DepPol/C that it is important to widely publicize the report in the next few months to generate public support for reform. He suggested that Komnas HAM should take the lead, as a semi-autonomous government agency respected for advocating human rights. The Ministry of Law and Human Rights has also told us it would widely disseminate the report if it had the funding to do so. MULTI-LATERAL SUPPORT JAKARTA 00002158 002.2 OF 002 ¶6. (C) New Zealand, Australian and Swiss diplomats have told us they would like to collaborate with other Missions and Indonesian NGOs to promote the CTF report. We agreed that multi-lateral support would demonstrate international backing for the CTF and that we should collaborate in finding ways and resources to help Indonesia on the CTF. ¶7. (C) Since the release of the report, Indonesia has agreed to assist in the development of Timor-Leste civil society. The Indonesian government will train officials of the Timor-Leste Ministry of Foreign Affairs in diplomatic tradecraft in Jakarta. The Indonesian government agreed to ease visa and residency permit regulations for all Timor-Leste students studying in Indonesia. These students will be charged local tuition fees, significantly easing their educational costs. Also, the GOI is allowing 9,000 Timor-Leste students whose visas have expired to continue their studies. Talks on other bilateral initiatives have also taken place, GOI sources told us. ¶8. (C) Mission will continue to support methods of promoting the CTF in Indonesia, and will explore ways that we can assist with funding and training. For the immediate future, funds will be needed to help publish and disseminate the report. Mission will propose funding for specific initiatives as soon as these are formulated. HUME