Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08JAKARTA491
2008-03-11 07:07:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Jakarta
Cable title:
IRAN -- INDONESIAN LABOR KEEPS UP PRESSURE ON IRAN
how-toVZCZCXRO1110 OO RUEHBC RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDE RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHKUK RUEHLH RUEHPW RUEHROV DE RUEHJA #0491 0710707 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 110707Z MAR 08 FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8288 INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS PRIORITY RUCNISL/ISLAMIC COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 4805 RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 2151 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 1651 RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON 2412 RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 2493 RUEHBAD/AMCONSUL PERTH 0629 RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RUEHC/DEPT OF LABOR WASHDC RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L JAKARTA 000491
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DPET FOR EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, DRL/IL, DRL/PHD
DOL FOR ILAB:BSASSER
NSC FOR EPHU
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/11/2018
TAGS: PGOV PHUM ELAB ID IR
SUBJECT: IRAN -- INDONESIAN LABOR KEEPS UP PRESSURE ON IRAN
REF: 07 JAKARTA 3257
Classified By: Pol/C Joseph Legend Novak, reasons 1.4(b+d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L JAKARTA 000491
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DPET FOR EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, DRL/IL, DRL/PHD
DOL FOR ILAB:BSASSER
NSC FOR EPHU
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/11/2018
TAGS: PGOV PHUM ELAB ID IR
SUBJECT: IRAN -- INDONESIAN LABOR KEEPS UP PRESSURE ON IRAN
REF: 07 JAKARTA 3257
Classified By: Pol/C Joseph Legend Novak, reasons 1.4(b+d).
1. (C) SUMMARY: An Indonesian labor union has held a rally
demanding the release of imprisoned Iranian labor leaders.
The rally took place outside of the Iranian Embassy in
Jakarta. The group called on President Yudhoyono to postpone
his trip to Iran, which began on March 10. Our guess is that
this example of international labor solidarity will have
little impact on the GOI, but the rally--the fourth of its
kind--is an embarrassment to Iran. END SUMMARY.
RALLY AGAINST IRAN
2. (SBU) An Indonesian labor union has held a rally against
the Iranian government. Indonesian Coordinator of the
International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) Hanafi
Rustandi led a demonstration of 200 transportation workers
outside of the Iranian Embassy on March 6. ITF delivered a
petition to the Iranian Embassy demanding the release of
Mansour Oslanloo, Chair of the Tehran Transport Trade Union,
and Mahmoud Salehi, a Kurdish labor union leader, who were
arrested in 2007 for organizing-related activities. This was
the fourth protest organized by ITF in Indonesia since
Oslanloo's arrest.
PRESSURING THE GOI
3. (C) The ITF also publicly called on President Yudhoyono
to postpone his visit to Iran until labor rights conditions
improve there. ITF delivered a letter through the State
Secretary's Office asking the President to press for the two
SIPDIS
labor leaders' release, Hanafi told Labatt. He said he has
gotten no response to the letter. "As a Muslim country,
Indonesia must play an important role in persuading Iran to
fix labor conditions," Hanafi said. Another KPI leader,
Sonny Pattiselano, told Labatt, "We are very, very saddened
that President Yudhoyono is visiting Iran."
LABOR STIRS THE POT
4. (C) Hanafi is a tough customer and made a daring visit to
Iran in October 2007 to fight for the release of detained
Iranian labor leaders (reftel). His visit to Iran as ITF
envoy did succeed in getting Oslanloo an eye operation which
reportedly prevented him from going blind, but did not result
in his release. We have little doubt that Hanafi and the ITF
will keep up the pressure.
5. (C) More generally, Indonesian civil society is
increasingly taking an active role in promoting human rights
overseas as it sees consolidation of Indonesia's own hard-won
democratic gains as linked to the global democratization
movement. Our guess, however, is that this example of
international labor solidarity will have little impact on the
GOI (labor is not a politically powerful force in Indonesia,
in general),but the rally--the fourth of its kind--is an
embarrassment to Iran.
HUME
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DPET FOR EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, DRL/IL, DRL/PHD
DOL FOR ILAB:BSASSER
NSC FOR EPHU
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/11/2018
TAGS: PGOV PHUM ELAB ID IR
SUBJECT: IRAN -- INDONESIAN LABOR KEEPS UP PRESSURE ON IRAN
REF: 07 JAKARTA 3257
Classified By: Pol/C Joseph Legend Novak, reasons 1.4(b+d).
1. (C) SUMMARY: An Indonesian labor union has held a rally
demanding the release of imprisoned Iranian labor leaders.
The rally took place outside of the Iranian Embassy in
Jakarta. The group called on President Yudhoyono to postpone
his trip to Iran, which began on March 10. Our guess is that
this example of international labor solidarity will have
little impact on the GOI, but the rally--the fourth of its
kind--is an embarrassment to Iran. END SUMMARY.
RALLY AGAINST IRAN
2. (SBU) An Indonesian labor union has held a rally against
the Iranian government. Indonesian Coordinator of the
International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) Hanafi
Rustandi led a demonstration of 200 transportation workers
outside of the Iranian Embassy on March 6. ITF delivered a
petition to the Iranian Embassy demanding the release of
Mansour Oslanloo, Chair of the Tehran Transport Trade Union,
and Mahmoud Salehi, a Kurdish labor union leader, who were
arrested in 2007 for organizing-related activities. This was
the fourth protest organized by ITF in Indonesia since
Oslanloo's arrest.
PRESSURING THE GOI
3. (C) The ITF also publicly called on President Yudhoyono
to postpone his visit to Iran until labor rights conditions
improve there. ITF delivered a letter through the State
Secretary's Office asking the President to press for the two
SIPDIS
labor leaders' release, Hanafi told Labatt. He said he has
gotten no response to the letter. "As a Muslim country,
Indonesia must play an important role in persuading Iran to
fix labor conditions," Hanafi said. Another KPI leader,
Sonny Pattiselano, told Labatt, "We are very, very saddened
that President Yudhoyono is visiting Iran."
LABOR STIRS THE POT
4. (C) Hanafi is a tough customer and made a daring visit to
Iran in October 2007 to fight for the release of detained
Iranian labor leaders (reftel). His visit to Iran as ITF
envoy did succeed in getting Oslanloo an eye operation which
reportedly prevented him from going blind, but did not result
in his release. We have little doubt that Hanafi and the ITF
will keep up the pressure.
5. (C) More generally, Indonesian civil society is
increasingly taking an active role in promoting human rights
overseas as it sees consolidation of Indonesia's own hard-won
democratic gains as linked to the global democratization
movement. Our guess, however, is that this example of
international labor solidarity will have little impact on the
GOI (labor is not a politically powerful force in Indonesia,
in general),but the rally--the fourth of its kind--is an
embarrassment to Iran.
HUME