CHARGE'S MEETING WITH FOREIGN AFFAIRS LEGISLATORS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 000985 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, EAP/RSP, DRL MSC FOR E.PHU E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/15/2018 TAGS: PREL PGOV ID TT SUBJECT: CHARGE'S MEETING WITH FOREIGN AFFAIRS LEGISLATORS REF: JAKARTA 924 Classified By: CDA John A. Heffern, reasons 1.4 (b+d), ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: In a May 14 discussion with Indonesian legislators, Charge d'Affaires pressed for positive action in response to the forthcoming report of the Indonesia-Timor Leste Commission on Truth and Friendship (CTF). The legislators said they intended to invite U.S. Representative Eni Faleomavaega to Indonesia in August to follow up on his interest in the Papuan region and said Commission members intended to visit the Naval Medical Research Unit (NAMRU-2) in Jakarta following upcoming hearings on NAMRU-2. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (U) Charge d'Affaires met five members of Commission I of the Indonesian legislature (DPR),which handles foreign and security issues, on May 14. The five--chairman Theo Sambuaga, Abdillah Toha, Marzuki Darusman, Djoko Susilo and Tosari Widjaya--recently returned from a visit to the United States sponsored by the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies (APCSS) in Honolulu, Hawaii. DISCUSSING ACCOUNTABILITY ¶3. (C) CDA stressed that, according to what had so far been discussed in the media, the CTF report would name institutions considered to be responsible for excesses in East Timor in 1999. It was important that the government of Indonesia take seriously the CTF's findings and act upon them. Washington remained concerned that, so far, no accountability had been established for the human rights abuses that had occurred in East Timor in 1999, and this was a major obstacle to closer cooperation in the security sector. The legislators said they were not familiar with the contents of the CTF Report. ¶4. (C) Stressing the importance of sending Indonesian military officers to the United States for education, the legislators asked about U.S. vetting requirements, which restricted mil-mil exchanges and training. CDA explained that vetting requirements, to which Indonesian security personnel receiving U.S. assistance were subject, was a worldwide legislated requirement. Indonesian candidates faced scrutiny because of past human rights abuses committed by Indonesian security forces, particularly military special forces. The fundamental requirement to vet had been established by the U.S. Congress. Susilo said Commission I was planning to visit Washington in October 2008 and would try to meet with Senator Leahy to discuss Indonesian military reform and progress on human rights. FALEOMAVAEGA ¶5. (C) The legislators said they had met with Representative Eni Faleomavaega (D, American Samoa) in Washington to discuss Papua issues. Commission I wanted to help establish a good understanding with the congressman and address his concerns following his visit in December 2007. The Commission planned to invite him to visit in August. Faleomavaega's public release of his letters to President Yudhoyono and his open letter to UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon criticizing the government of Indonesia regarding Papua had embarrassed the Indonesian government and could pose a problem in gaining GOI approval for a visit, the legislators said. NAVAL MEDICAL RESEARCH UNIT (NAMRU) ¶6. (C) CDA said Mission had received from Washington a revised text of the draft NAMRU-2 Memorandum of Understanding and had forwarded that text to the Department of Foreign Affairs expressing readiness to begin a new round of negotiations. Commission members were particularly interested in the issue of status, privileges and immunities. CDA said the USG's position was consistent with the Vienna Convention and the principle of reciprocity. CDA stressed NAMRU's transparency and urged Commission I members to visit JAKARTA 00000985 002 OF 002 NAMRU to see for themselves the research that was conducted there. He noted that the Ambassador had extended a similar invitation to DPR Speaker Laksono (reftel). Commission I had made plans to visit several times in the past but the visits had never materialized. NAMRU benefited Indonesia, and it was important that Indonesians understood this, CDA emphasized. ¶7. (C) Sambuaga said Commission I had discussed NAMRU with the Department of Foreign Affairs about a year ago and planned to hold hearings on NAMRU in the near future. (Note: We have since heard that the hearings are scheduled for June 7.) Following the hearings, the Commission intended to visit NAMRU's facilities. Sambuaga said the GOI wanted NAMRU to include the Indonesian Navy in its work. CDA welcomed the intention to visit NAMRU and said the visit should help to dispel false public perceptions about the nature of NAMRU's work. That, in turn, should make the status rather less of a concern. CDA said NAMRU wanted to work with the Indonesian Navy and noted NAMRU had issued two invitations in the past for the Navy to send researchers but had received no response. Sambuaga thanked CDA for the briefing regarding NAMRU, adding that it was very helpful. HEFFERN