HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT -- POSITIVE REACTION TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L JAKARTA 000553

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, EAP/RSP, DRL, DRL/AWH
NSC FOR E.PHU

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/27/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM KISL ID
SUBJECT: HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT -- POSITIVE REACTION TO
INDONESIA CHAPTER

Classified By: Pol/C Joseph L. Novak, reasons 1.4(b+d).


1. (C) SUMMARY: Since its release a month ago, media
reaction to the 2008 Country Report on Human Rights Practices
for Indonesia has been relatively muted, with the report only
generating several press articles. GOI officials had no
public reaction, but several contacts privately welcomed
language in the report demonstrating Indonesia's improved
human rights record. Legislative branch and NGO contacts
also welcomed the report, including contextual language on
improvements in the new, democratic Indonesia since the fall
of the authoritarian Suharto regime in 1998. We have posted
the Bahasa Indonesia translation of the report on Mission's
website. END SUMMARY.

PRESS REACTION MUTED


2. (SBU) Local media reaction to the 2008 Country Report on
Human Rights Practices for Indonesia has been muted since its
release on February 25. The report has generated a handful
of mainly factually-oriented articles, including in VIVAnews,
a privately-owned news service. The VIVAnews report--which
was in Bahasa Indonesia--was positive, commenting favorably
on the USG's assessment that the Indonesian government had
generally tried to uphold citizen's rights and civil
liberties. There were several other articles regarding the
report hitting similar themes. Major English-language
newspapers like the "Jakarta Post" and the "Jakarta Globe"
did not report on the release; nor did TV and radio (where
most Indonesians get their news).

NO OFFICIAL COMMENT FROM GOI


3. (C) The Indonesian government has not publicly commented
on the report. Government officials reacted favorably in
private, however. Echoing other comments we picked up,
Deputy Director Diana Emilla of the Directorate of Human
Rights at the Department of Foreign Affairs told poloff that
the GOI considers the report to be "relatively comprehensive
and credible." She added that the GOI had no complaints.
Emilla noted that she and other GOI officials appreciated the
language in the report citing the improving human rights
situation in Indonesia. Emilla said, "too many people
believe that Indonesia remains stuck...the recent human
rights report works to change this misperception."

LEGISLATORS, NGO REACTION POSITIVE


4. (C) Reaction from the legislative branch and
Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) representatives has been
positive. Djoko Susilo, an MP and human rights activist,
told Pol/C that he appreciated getting a copy of the report
from Mission. He said the report gained credibility from
contextual language which indicated that the new, democratic
Indonesia had made progress on human rights since the fall of
the Suharto regime in 1998.


5. (C) Poloff also spoke to several human rights activists
and NGO's following the release of the report. They found
the report to be candid and persuasive. They added that the
"detail alone was impressive." Having said that, one contact
noted that Indonesia must continue to make progress on the
issue of accountability for human rights abuses, citing the
Munir Said Talib murder case as a key concern. (Note:
Munir, a human rights campaigner, was poisoned in 2004.
Various court cases continue to work through the system
regarding the apparent murder conspiracy.)

IT'S ALL ONLINE


6. (U) Mission has translated the report into Bahasa
Indonesia and prominently posted the report on its public
website. Several contacts have noted the ease they had in
accessing the report via the Internet and the availability of
the report in Bahasa Indonesia.


7. (U) The English language version of the report is
available at:
http://jakarta.usembassy.gov/press rel/March09/
Human Rights Reports.html.
The Bahasa Indonesia language version is available at:
http://jakarta.usembassy.gov/bhs/Laporan/HR08 ham.html.

HUME