VZCZCXYZ0002
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHML #1087/01 0940434
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 040434Z APR 07
FM AMEMBASSY MANILA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5964
INFO RUEHJA/AMEMBASSY JAKARTA IMMEDIATE 6628
RUEHKL/AMEMBASSY KUALA LUMPUR IMMEDIATE 0608
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RHHMUNA/CDRUSPACOM HONOLULU HI IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE

UNCLAS MANILA 001087 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR S/CRS, PM, EAP/RSP, AND EAP/MTS 
USPACOM ALSO FOR FPA HUSO AND J5 
SECDEF/OSD/ISA/AP (TOOLAN/REDMON) 
JOINT STAFF/J5 (WILKES/ROBINSON/CLEMMONS) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID PTER MOPS PREL ID MY RP
SUBJECT: REGIONAL 1207 FUNDING PROPOSAL 
 
REF: A. 06 MANILA 4151 
     ¶B. 06 MANILA 4396 
 
¶1.  (SBU) SUMMARY.  Section 1207 funds offer a potentially 
extremely valuable tool to help consolidate the post-conflict 
environment in the Philippines' Sulu Archipelago and in the 
neighboring areas of Indonesia.  Our joint Manila-Jakarta 
$15.5 million proposal would seek to build upon existing 
programs to improve infrastructure, border and port security, 
and foster a climate of peace in the region.  These measures 
would complement the approved proposals for FY 2007 Section 
1206 for the tri-border area, which were designed to improve 
maritime security in this region of porous borders and 
transnational terrorist activity.  U.S. Embassies Jakarta and 
Manila strongly believe that this regional 1207 initiative, 
if approved, would allow us to help host nation governments 
consolidate their counterterrorism successes and win back 
ground from the extremists.  On the Public Diplomacy side, we 
would add that the context of the cooperation is different in 
each country, and request that any announcement or publicity 
about this cooperation be cleared by relevant embassies.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
 
THE PHILIPPINES - 
BUILDING ECONOMIC ACTIVITY TO SECURE THE PEACE 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
¶2.   (U) The Philippines is currently the focal point of our 
counterterrorism fight in the region.  The Armed Forces of 
the Philippines has scored significant victories during its 
ongoing campaign on the island of Jolo against Abu Sayyaf and 
Jemaah Islamiyah terrorists.  With U.S. help, Philippine 
troops have overrun terrorist training camps and conducted 
successful operations that led to the deaths of Khadaffy 
Janjalani and Abu Solaiman, the top two leaders of the Abu 
Sayyaf Group.  Our $10 million Philippine 1207 initiative 
would build upon existing U.S. Agency for International 
Development and Joint Special Operations Task 
Force-Philippines activity to improve dual-use infrastructure 
on the islands of Jolo and the neighboring island of 
Tawi-Tawi, where we have made significant gains in separating 
the terrorists from the population. 
 
¶3.  (U) Our Philippine proposal consists of five components: 
 
-- Jolo Airport: A $3 million expansion project would 
lengthen the current runway from 1500 meters to 2000 meters, 
giving it increased capacity to handle civilian and military 
(both U.S. and Philippine Air Force) aircraft, such as Boeing 
737s and C-130s.  This improved accessibility to Jolo and 
similarly, below, to Tawi-Tawi is expected to offer 
opportunities for economic growth in both locations that will 
give these island communities greater hope for the future for 
themselves and their children, and help them become less 
isolated and more a part of a greater, pluralistic Philippine 
society. 
 
-- Tawi-Tawi Airport: A similar $3 million expansion project 
would give this airport the same expanded dual-use capability. 
 
-- Tawi-Tawi Bridge: This $3 million project would construct 
a bridge and approach roads that would link Tawi-Tawi and 
Sanga-Sanga, the two main islands of the Tawi-Tawi group.  It 
would open the agricultural hinterland of the principal 
island of Tawi-Tawi for development by allowing 
farm-to-market access.  The project would also enable the 
Armed Forces of the Philippines to shift forces by land from 
Sanga-Sanga to Tawi-Tawi, an operation it is now only able to 
conduct by sea, in order to eliminate terrorist safe havens 
and transit areas from this heretofore inaccessible area. 
 
-- Security Force Train-and-Equip Package: $300,000 in funds 
under the supervision of the resident U.S. Senior Law 
Enforcement Advisor would allow us to train and equip port 
and airport security personnel in Zamboanga and the Sulu 
Archipelago to screen cargo and passengers and respond to 
potential terrorist threats. 
 
-- Jolo Water Distribution System: $700,000 would allow Joint 
Special Operations Task Force-Philippines to complete a badly 
needed water distribution project in Jolo City, the largest 
municipality on the island, that would provide its residents 
potable drinking water. 
 
¶4.  (U) These proposed projects would have a tremendous 
impact on the Sulu Archipelago.  The expanded runways will 
improve economic activity and allow for greater air passenger 
and cargo traffic between the islands and neighboring areas 
in Sabah, Malaysia and Sulawesi and Kalimantan, Indonesia. 
If these projects receive funding, a dedicated program 
manager under USAID,s Growth and Equity in Mindanao (GEM) 
III program currently scheduled to begin in August 2007 would 
oversee the program. 
 
INDONESIA - BORDER SECURITY AND EDUCATION 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶5.  (U) The northeast Kalimantan islands of Tarakan, Nunukan, 
and Sebatik are the major transit points into Indonesia from 
the Philippines and Malaysia.  These areas are known transit 
routes for not only terrorist activities that reach all the 
way to Poso, in Central Sulawesi and Maluku, but also serve 
as transit area for major transnational criminal activities 
involving weapons smuggling, human trafficking, illegal 
logging, fuel, illegal fishing, and wildlife smuggling.  $5.5 
million in 1207 funding would address border and port 
security issues in northeast Kalimantan, improve central 
government coordination, and promote community stabilization 
and development. 
 
¶6.  (U) Border and Port Security: $2 million would be used to 
provide technical assistance, training, limited 
infrastructure development and conduct cross-functional 
training programs with Indonesian Immigrations, Customs, 
Indonesian National Police, Indonesian National Police Marine 
Police, port authorities and the Indonesian Armed Forces 
(TNI).  All of the ports in the northeastern Kalimantan 
islands suffer from a lack of inspection equipment, queuing 
infrastructure and processes, training, standardized 
procedures, and coordination.  The infrastructure development 
would involve low-tech structural improvements and 
modifications to enable better management of passengers and 
cargo.  The training and process systems provided would cover 
immigration processes, document examination and inspections, 
cargo inspection, vessel and vehicle search, interview and 
interrogation, basic surveillance, border and port 
management, law enforcement safety, tactical and strategic 
intelligence methodologies for law enforcement, standardized 
reporting, and inter-agency coordination. 
 
¶7.  (U) Central Coordination: Better central coordination 
would greatly enhance the effectiveness of the above 
measures.  Under the Global War on Terrorism program, we will 
place a U.S. Coast Guard Maritime Security Advisor at the 
Agency for National Maritime Coordination (BAKORKAMLA) for 
one year.  An additional $500,000 in 1207 funding would 
provide for training of central government officials to 
institutionalize coordination among the dozen Indonesian 
agencies that are involved with maritime security.  This 
training would address institutional gaps in communication 
and coordination and competing authority among TNI Navy, the 
National Police and Maritime Police, Customs, and other 
agencies, and would start at the upper levels of the 
Indonesian government and work downward to close gaps and 
eliminate overlaps in authority. 
 
¶8.  (U) Community Stabilization and Community Development: 
The Malino Accord did not end conflict in Central Sulawesi, 
where extremists have continued to foment discord and 
violence between the Muslim and Christian communities.  The 
province is divided along communal lines, public offices and 
services are the object of contention, and public 
infrastructure has yet to be re-developed from the communal 
violence around 2000.  Scarce economic opportunities and 
resources escalate tensions among groups, local government 
fails to meet minimum needs of the citizens, and continuing 
security threats create confusion and instability.  Central 
Sulawesi, especially in and around Poso, has become an ideal 
"safe haven" for terrorists, potential terrorists and others 
linked to terrorism, notwithstanding the recent arrests.  The 
situation resembles the one that existed in General Santos 
City on Mindanao in the southern Philippines before USG 
intervention there.  USAID plans to implement a program in 
Central Sulawesi aimed at community stabilization and 
community development 
 
¶9.  (U) To reinforce these programs and to promote community 
focus on the future and issues of common concern and promote 
mutual understanding, we propose to use $500,000 in 1207 
funds to expand existing public diplomacy programs in 
Indonesia that promote youth leadership and improve the 
quality of education to include Central Sulawesi.  These 
programs would include: 
 
-- English immersion camps; 
-- Documentary film program for young adults; 
-- Sports leagues; 
-- High school journalist training; 
-- Scholarships for English classes; and, 
-- Study tours for community leaders. 
 
¶10.  (SBU) All the above measures would complement the 
approved FY 2007 Section 1206 proposals for the tri-border 
area, which were designed to improve maritime security in 
this region of porous borders and transnational terrorist 
activity.  U.S. Embassies Jakarta and Manila strongly believe 
that this regional 1207 initiative, if approved, would allow 
us to help host nation governments consolidate their 
counterterrorism successes and win back ground from the 
extremists. 
 
¶11.  (U) Embassies Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur have cleared this 
message. 
 
Visit Embassy Manila's Classified website: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eap/manila/index. cfm 
KENNEY