RAMPING UP ENGAGEMENT WITH THE INDONESIAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 000544 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, H NSC FOR EPHU H FOR DRICH E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/17/2018 TAGS: PREL KDEM PGOV ID SUBJECT: RAMPING UP ENGAGEMENT WITH THE INDONESIAN LEGISLATURE REF: A. JAKARTA 481 ¶B. JAKARTA 391 ¶C. JAKARTA 372 ¶D. 07 JAKARTA 3145 JAKARTA 00000544 001.2 OF 002 Classified By: Pol/C Joseph Legend Novak, reasons 1.4(b+d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: Mission has ratcheted up its engagement with the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR),resulting in improved dialogue with this increasingly powerful--but capacity poor--institution. Building upon an existing USG program, Mission has formed an internal committee to further improve its support for the DPR. Mission has also collaborated closely with the House Democracy Assistance Commission (HDAC) to create exchange and training opportunities for the DPR. We believe this effort--which supports USG democracy goals--is an example of transformational diplomacy in action. END SUMMARY. RAMPING UP OUTREACH ¶2. (SBU) As a result of Mission's offsite last year, Mission formed an internal DPR outreach committee consisting of representatives from the Political (chair),Economic, and Public Affairs Sections, as well as USAID and the Library of Congress. In short order, the Committee has successfully expanded the roster of USG contacts within the DPR, coordinated Mission's interaction with the 550-Member body, and collaborated closely with the DPR's U.S.-Indonesia Caucus on several capacity-building initiatives (Ref D). The committee has built upon USAID's legislative strengthening program, which provides technical assistance, training and institutional support to the DPR. ACCESS TO INFORMATION ¶3. (SBU) As has been reported (see Refs B-D),the DPR is an increasingly important body in Indonesian governance, but remains capability and resource poor. To help address this, Mission has been working to dramatically improve the DPR's modest reservoir of legal and legislative information. Outreach committee members worked closely with the U.S.-Indonesia Caucus to pave the way for Indonesia's entry into the USG-affiliated Global Legal Information Network (GLIN),a worldwide database of laws and regulations from governmental and non-governmental organizations throughout the world. Caucus officials and GLIN representatives recently inked an agreement to establish a GLIN presence in Jakarta, shoring up one of the DPR's most glaring weaknesses--access to legal texts. WORKING WITH THE HILL ¶4. (SBU) Leveraging its efforts whenever possible, Mission has also partnered with the House Democracy Assistance Commission (HDAC) on a range of projects which have further energized DPR outreach efforts. Building on two highly successful visits to Jakarta in July of 2007 and February of 2008, HDAC recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the DPR that formalizes assistance between the two institutions, the first of its kind for either the DPR or HDAC. The MOU calls for periodic staff and member exchanges, technical assistance, and continued cooperation. SUBSTANTIVE COOPERATION ¶5. (SBU) Mission's closer dialogue with the DPR has also generated new avenues for collaboration on key issues. The DPR's Myanmar Caucus, for example, worked closely with Mission to help put together the highly successful March 6-7 Burma civil society conference in Jakarta (Ref A). Parliamentarians of all stripes have also worked with Mission either individually or in tandem with their colleagues on a whole range of other issues, including pushing--unsuccessfully thus far--for a bilateral spousal work agreement. JAKARTA 00000544 002.2 OF 002 TRAINING AND EXCHANGES ¶6. (SBU) We have also moved forward--in coordinated fashion--on exchange/training programs. In April, HDAC will pay for six parliamentarians to participate in a defense oversight program in the United States; in July, HDAC will fund a committee operations program. HDAC also has plans in the works for a legislative drafting workshop in Jakarta, a training seminar for 550 new DPR staffers, as well as a possible appropriations workshop. Above and beyond these valuable training and exchange opportunities, HDAC continues to collaborate closely with Mission on substantive programs for the many DPR Members and staff who travel to Washington. DPR ON THE RISE ¶7. (C) Mission's efforts with the DPR have coincided with the legislature's own maturation into a bona fide player in Indonesia's nascent democracy. While this development has not always served U.S. foreign policy interests (DPR members pressure the government on Middle East-related issues, for example),Mission remains committed to trying to help develop the DPR into a strong independent legislature that can do the peoples' business in effective fashion. ¶8. (C) This effort is succeeding. Recent trend lines have been highly positive, as the DPR recently passed an election law that will make the DPR more representative and accountable to constituents, approved the recruitment of 550 new professional expert staff Members for MPs, and has taken steps to develop an independent budget, all top Mission priorities with the DPR. We believe this effort--which supports USG democracy goals--is an example of transformational diplomacy in action. HUME