SCENESETTER FOR SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE TO MUSLIM

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 JAKARTA 002027 SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR S/R PANDITH DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, EAP/RSP, DRL, DRL/IRF NSC FOR D. WALTON E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL KISL ID SUBJECT: SCENESETTER FOR SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE TO MUSLIM COMMUNITIES FARAH PANDITH'S VISIT TO INDONESIA ¶1. (U) This message is Sensitive but Unclassified -- Please handle accordingly. ¶2. (SBU) SUMMARY: Mission Jakarta warmly welcomes your visit. Ten years of political and economic reform have made Indonesia democratic, stable, and increasingly confident about its leadership role in Southeast Asia. Indonesia has held free and fair elections; has weathered the global financial crisis; and is tackling internal security threats. President Obama's popularity is high and Indonesia is working to improve relations with the U.S. via the developing Comprehensive Partnership. Indonesia is the world's largest Muslim-majority nation and is active in international Muslim circles. The Constitution guarantees freedom of religion and that commitment is largely honored in practice. END SUMMARY. BILATERAL RELATIONS CONTINUE TO DEEPEN ¶3. (SBU) Your visit comes at a turning point in U.S.-Indonesia relations. The GOI views the establishment of the bilateral Comprehensive Partnership as a way to deepen engagement with the United States across the board on the basis of a relationship between true partners. The success of Indonesia's democratization and reform process and its inclusion in the G-20 have given the country new confidence. This confidence can help the United States work better with Indonesia to achieve our aims in Asia and elsewhere. ¶4. (SBU) Under President Yudhoyono, the GOI has made significant efforts to play a more prominent and constructive role in regional and global affairs. The Indonesian military has taken on peacekeeping duties in Lebanon, Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Yudhoyono has staked out an ambitious position putting Indonesia in the front ranks on climate change among developing countries. As home of the ASEAN Secretariat, Jakarta seeks a greater leadership role in ASEAN, and it is succeeding. The GOI spearheaded efforts to enshrine democracy and human rights in the ASEAN Charter. Indonesia has played an important but largely behind-the-scenes role in encouraging democracy and human rights in Burma. THE COMPREHENSIVE PARTNERSHIP ¶5. (SBU) President Yudhoyono proposed that the U.S. and Indonesia launch a Strategic Partnership (later referred to as a Comprehensive Partnership) in his November 2008 speech in Washington. Secretary Clinton's visit in February 2009 began a dialogue with Indonesians about the key elements of that partnership. The absence of a November POTUS visit to Jakarta, which Indonesians both inside and outside government highly anticipated, has slowed the pace of progress on the Partnership but not GOI enthusiasm. ¶6. (SBU) Even without a presidential visit this year, key elements of the Comprehensive Partnership are moving forward including cooperation on climate change, an Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) incentive agreement, an interfaith working group event and, possibly, Indonesian training of Afghan police. Under a Comprehensive Partnership, we will strengthen Indonesia's democratic institutions and capacity to promote democracy beyond its borders. ¶7. (SBU) The Partnership will also allow us to expand our already robust regional security cooperation and deepen our cooperation with the Indonesian military to enhance its capability to provide disaster relief and participate in international peacekeeping operations. We will promote the people-to-people ties that are critical to the success of our Partnership, including expanding education cooperation. In addition to our discussions with the Indonesians on their commitments to reduce emissions from deforestation, our cooperation is deepening on food security focusing on fisheries and on combating emerging and tropical disease whose spread will be exacerbated by climate change in this region. ISLAM IN INDONESIA ¶8. (SBU) Indonesia is the world's largest Muslim-majority nation and eager to promote its image as a religiously pluralistic society. Indonesia's Constitution guarantees JAKARTA 00002027 002 OF 003 freedom of religion, although it officially recognizes only five religions (Buddhism, Christianity, Confucianism, Hinduism, and Islam). Religious freedom is largely respected. Much of the sectarian violence that plagued Indonesia in the past, particularly in Sulawesi and the Malukus, has declined as religious leaders and local authorities have taken steps toward rebuilding and reconciliation. That said, the Islamic sect Ahmadiyya, with around 400,000 followers, is prohibited from proselytizing and has been declared "deviant" by national decree. ¶9. (SBU) Only Aceh province is governed by Sharia law (Islamic jurisprudence). In September, Aceh passed a law that made adultery an offense punishable by stoning. The law is not yet in effect. In part due to international pressure, national officials plan to file a Constitutional appeal. A more moderate Aceh Parliament, installed in October, will likely review the law and the Governor has said he will not sign nor implement the law. Local governments in other areas of Indonesia have issued as many as 100 Sharia-inspired regulations, on issues such as alcohol consumption, gambling, and attire, although the regulations are not regularly or consistently enforced. Local human rights groups have urged the government to review all Sharia-inspired local ordinances. ¶10. (SBU) Mainstream Islamic political parties have seen their support decline in recent elections. These parties still remain influential on the political scene, although secular-oriented parties maintain the most influence. There are other small groups. Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia (HTI) is one of the most active radical Islamist groups in Indonesia. HTI is a transnational movement which advocates the imposition of Islamic law and the return of the Islamic "Caliphate." Its support in Indonesia comes primarily from urban middle-class intellectuals and university students and it is estimated to have around 50,000 active members and 1.5 million sympathizers. INTERFAITH EVENT ¶11. (SBU) Indonesia proposed and will host the first Indonesian - U.S. Interfaith Working Group, January 25-27, in Jakarta, promoting the President's goal of "turning dialogue into interfaith service." U/S Burns' counterpart will announce this event during Burns' December 10-11 visit to Indonesia. We hope this dialogue will help build cooperative networks across faith communities and civil society in our countries and the region, leading to future collaboration. We want this to be not just a discussion, but to result in concrete actions that benefit Indonesia and the U.S. Indonesia, as the world's largest Muslim-majority country, and one that successfully advances open religious pluralism, is an excellent launching point for this kind of dialogue, and the GOI has made such dialogues a priority. OVERCOMING SECURITY THREATS ¶12. (SBU) Indonesia still faces a terrorism problem. The GOI's response to the July 17 terrorist attacks was swift and effective. While the GOI is pursuing a few remaining associates of militant ringleader Noordin Top, the killing of eight July 17 operatives, including Top, and the arrest of 11 others appears to have severely crippled Top's network. The GOI has heightened security nationwide and the INP continues to combat terrorism. Until the July 17 bombings, Indonesia experienced three-and-a-half years without a major terrorist incident, demonstrating how the GOI's counterterrorism efforts reduced the ability of militant groups to carry out attacks. ¶13. (SBU) U.S. assistance has been a component of the GOI's success in counter-terrorism strikes. The Embassy has worked to build the investigative support for and forensic capabilities of the National Police through numerous development programs administered by the Department of Justice's International Criminal Investigative Training and Assistance Program. The Indonesian National Police, including elements of the Diplomatic Security's Anti-Terrorism Assistance (DS/ATA) trained Special Detachment 88, has effectively disrupted the Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) terrorist network. The USG-funded Attorney General's Task Force on Terrorism and Transnational Crime has successfully prosecuted 64 terrorists, including 43 JI members since 2006. JAKARTA 00002027 003 OF 003 WE WELCOME YOU ¶14. (SBU) Again, we very much welcome you to Indonesia. Your trip to Solo, Central Java will provide you an opportunity to see a region where Muslims and minority groups have markedly improved relations in the past several years thanks in part to a dynamic Mayor and other local leadership. Your visit to Jakarta will allow you to meet with key Indonesians and others to discuss Muslim engagement, religious freedom and other topics salient to the emerging Comprehensive Partnership. HUME