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DE RUEHJA #0207/01 0320526
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O 010526Z FEB 08
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7860
INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS PRIORITY
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 1948
RUEHDT/AMEMBASSY DILI 0922
RUEHPB/AMEMBASSY PORT MORESBY 3650
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 4689
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 1560
RUEHBAD/AMCONSUL PERTH 0559
RHHJJPI/USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 000207 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MLS, EAP/MTS, DRL/AWH 
NSC FOR EPHU 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/01/2018 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM ID
SUBJECT: IN POSITIVE STEP, MILITARY PROMISES TO WORK WITH 
KEY HUMAN RIGHTS AGENCY 
 
REF: 07 JAKARTA 2787 
 
JAKARTA 00000207  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
Classified By: Pol/C Joseph Legend Novak, reasons 1.4 (b+d) 
 
¶1.  (C) SUMMARY:  The national human rights commission 
(Komnas HAM) and the Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI) recently 
met to discuss ways to work together.  In the course of the 
meeting, the new TNI Commander promised cooperation and 
invited the Commission to craft a program of human rights 
training.  In the meantime, the Commission has promised 
publicly to continue to investigate abuses that occurred 
during the Suharto timeframe despite the death of the former 
president.  The meeting between the TNI and the Commission 
was positive, and is the sort of engagement that needs to 
continue.  END SUMMARY. 
 
A KEY MEETING 
 
¶2.  (SBU) There has been a positive new development on the 
human rights front.  Komnas HAM Commission Chair Ifdhal Kasim 
met January 25 with TNI Commander (Panglima) Djoko Santoso as 
part of the independent watchdog agency's efforts to gain 
greater cooperation in human rights investigations.  In the 
past, Kasim told poloff, Komnas HAM investigations often met 
a wall of sorts when they tried to get information from the 
TNI on alleged human rights abuses. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) This meeting, however, was constructive.  It 
resulted in several areas of cooperation.  More generally, 
the new Panglima declared that the TNI would ask soldiers to 
cooperate with investigations into past human rights abuses. 
On two specific issues, Komnas HAM contacts confirmed to Pol 
FSN that the Panglima agreed to cooperation with the 
Commission on the following investigations: 
 
-- The 1989 killings of over 200 villagers in Talangsari 
village, Lampung Province, Sumatra.  The Lampung regional 
military commander at the time was then Col. Hendropriyono, 
who later retired from the military and served as chief of 
the National Intelligence Agency (BIN).  (Note:  Following 
the January 25 meeting with the TNI, Commission sources 
announced to the media that soldiers may soon be called in 
for questioning for past abuses.  The Talangsari case was at 
the top of the list and--based on the Panglima's 
assurances--the Commission was confident that the TNI would 
support the inquiry.) 
 
-- May 2007 shootings in Pasuruan, East Java, in which 
marines shot and killed four persons and injured others 
during a land dispute clash.  (Note:  Major Husni Sukarwo was 
relieved of his command and 13 marines were arrested, 
questioned, and released to their units for their roles in 
the incident.  The investigation into what exactly happened 
continues.) 
 
¶4. (SBU) The Commission and the TNI also outlined ways to 
work together to resolve land disputes involving military 
holdings.  Komnas HAM agreed to facilitate dialogue between 
the military and local communities to help settle such 
disputes.  For its part, according to Komnas HAM, the 
Panglima said the land disputes would ultimately be resolved 
when TNI pulled out of business and other enterprises 
completely.  (Note:  Land disputes involving the military and 
local citizenry are an ongoing problem, and often arise when 
communities have had long-term use of areas the military 
re-claims.) 
 
HUMAN RIGHTS TRAINING 
 
¶5.  (C) There was also a request for training.  The same 
sources confirmed that Santoso invited Komnas HAM to 
facilitate human rights training courses for military 
officers.  Although the parameters of the training have not 
yet been set, training by Komnas HAM would complement ongoing 
training by the International Committee of the Red Cross 
(ICRC) and other organizations that is given to all branches 
of the military.  A key aspect of the training is how to deal 
with civilians in conflict.  Rully Sandra, an ICRC 
representative, told poloff that ICRC's courses instruct 
 
JAKARTA 00000207  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
soldiers in international humanitarian law and "internal 
security operations," i.e., how to coordinate with local law 
enforcement to help control unruly crowds in effective, 
non-violent ways. 
 
SUHARTO'S DEATH NOT AN ISSUE 
 
¶6.  (C) The recent death of former president Suharto raised 
some questions about the Commission's role.  Quickly 
rebutting claims that the death would impact its work (under 
the theory that Suharto's death somehow extinguished claims), 
the Commission underscored that the scope of its 
investigations was not impacted and that it would continue to 
look into cases that took place during the 1965-1998 
timeframe of Suharto's rule.  In addition to the Talangsari 
case mentioned above, other Suharto-era cases under review by 
the Commisison include the imprisonment on Buru Island of 
political activists from 1969 to 1979, and state action in 
armed conflicts in Aceh and Papua. 
 
A POSITIVE STEP 
 
¶7.  (C) The meeting between the TNI and the Commission was 
positive.  The new Panglima made a very favorable impression 
as someone who wants to turn over a new leaf and make more 
progress on the human rights front.  (Note: The Ambassador 
had a good give-and-take with the Panglima during a January 
31 meeting -- see septel.)  This sort of engagement needs to 
continue.  In particular, the Panglima's request for human 
rights training was important and the Commission needs to 
move quickly on that.  Mission will work with the Commission 
on possible ways we can assist it, including by working to 
make sure that the Commission's efforts leverage the ICRC's 
program. 
 
HUME