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Viewing cable 07JAKARTA1892, CODEL PAYNE'S MEETING WITH MINISTER OF DEFENSE

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
07JAKARTA1892 2007-07-12 01:23 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED Embassy Jakarta
VZCZCXRO0032
RR RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHJA #1892/01 1930123
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 120123Z JUL 07
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5386
INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 0891
RUEHPB/AMEMBASSY PORT MORESBY 3356
RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON 1577
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RHHJJPI/USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 001892 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL MARR PGOV PHUM ID
SUBJECT: CODEL PAYNE'S MEETING WITH MINISTER OF DEFENSE 
JUWONO 
 
REF: A. JAKARTA 1845 (CODEL MEETS SBY) 
     B. JAKARTA 1759 (CODEL SCENESETTER) 
 
JAKARTA 00001892  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
1.  SUMMARY:  Meeting in Jakarta on July 6, Congressmen 
Donald Payne (D-NJ), David Dreier (R-CA) and James Moran 
(D-VA) complimented Defense Minister Juwono Sudarsono for 
Indonesia's remarkable democratic progress.  The Congressmen 
voiced concern about the slow pace of military reform, lack 
of accountability for past abuses, restrictions on access to 
Papua, military business practices, and the recent killing of 
four civilians in East Java by Indonesian Marines.  Minister 
Juwono cited Indonesia's low socio-economic status and, more 
specifically, a lack of funding as the root cause of the 
issues surrounding the Indonesian military.  He expressed 
appreciation for the Congressmen's praise of President 
Yudhoyono's strong reform leadership, but agreed there was 
still a long way to go.  Asked about China, Juwono said 
bilateral defense cooperation was limited to transport 
vessels.  END SUMMARY. 
 
Military Reform 
 
2. All three Congressmen praised Indonesia's reform progress 
and pledged continued U.S. support.  Congressmen Payne and 
Moran noted that Juwono, as civilian head of the defense 
establishment and a Fulbright scholar, was the right face for 
Indonesia's military reform.  Rep. Moran continued that when 
Americans think of Indonesia they often still see images of 
Sukarno and Suharto and they see Indonesia's military as 
abusive and undemocratic. Rep. Moran urged Juwono to place 
greater emphasis on the Navy and the Air Force, rather than 
the Army, which is perceived as an "occupying force."  The 
American team asked about Juwono's plans to get the military 
out of its business practices. 
 
3.  The Minister said that, according to the Interagency 
Panel studying military businesses, the military's business 
interests have dropped from 1500 to seven.  While, by 2009, 
the military will be out of profit-making businesses, Juwono 
admitted that the military still needed cooperatives to meet 
their resource needs.  He concluded that the old days of 
"security for money" are over.  Juwono complained that it is 
difficult for the newly established defense ministry as the 
current budget is only $3.5 billion and he needed at least $8 
billion to conduct proper operations and maintenance.  The 
overseas image of the Army as a violent occupation force is 
no longer true and certainly it is not a policy of the 
government.   Maintaining an Air Force and Navy is expensive 
and, as Indonesia sits atop the Ring of Fire, Juwono 
maintains that the focus of the military is on Disaster 
Relief, which requires a heavy manpower presence.  The 
Indonesian military is not so focused on meeting external 
threats, he said, but rather on internal disaster relief - a 
mission which helps it justify its funding. 
 
Accountability 
 
4.  Rep. Moran praised President SBY and Minister Juwono for 
their commitment to TNI reform, but wanted to raise several 
issues.  He criticized Indonesia's lack of accountability for 
past abuses, citing East Timor, the recent killings in East 
Java, the Munir case and the continued promotion of officers 
with troubling human rights records.  The Congressman 
concluded that Indonesia needed at least one high visibility 
human rights case against a military human rights abuser to 
help maintain support in Washington and the Congress for IMET 
and other security assistance for Indonesia. 
 
5.  Juwono replied that there have been cases of officers 
penalized for human rights abuses, both by receiving four 
year criminal sentences and having promotions significantly 
delayed.  He agreed with Congressman Moran's assessment that 
Indonesia needed a high profile case, citing again the lack 
of funding to thoroughly investigate cases.  Asked about 
possible FBI assistance, the Minister said the FBI was 
helpful in the Timika case, which involved American victims, 
but for local cases (like the East Java case) Indonesia must 
rely on its own resources.  Juwono claimed there is not a 
lack of will by the Government of Indonesia, but rather 
Indonesia lacks the proper funding.  Turning to East Timor, 
Juwono stated that President Xanana (Timor Leste) had agreed 
to reconciliation through the Truth and Friendship Committee, 
and scratched attempts to get full compensation from 
Indonesia.  On Munir, Jowono was quick to point out that the 
 
JAKARTA 00001892  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
agency rumored to be responsible (BIN) was not a military 
organization but rather 
a civilian intelligence agency. 
 
Papua 
 
6.  When asked about the situation in Papua, Juwono said 
Papua has been plagued by tribal wars and territorial 
disputes since it was a Dutch colony.  A military and police 
presence there is important to maintain security.  President 
SBY has made great progress improving the situations in 
distant places like Papua and Aceh by establishing dialogue 
and providing resources.  Juwono - again focusing on 
socio-economics -- stated Indonesia is a poor country with 
wide income disparity, and if people do not have a stake in 
society they tend to turn to violence.  He believes for 
democracy to sustain itself a country needs a per capita GDP 
of about $6000.  For Indonesia with a GDP approaching $1500, 
social harmony remains a constant challenge, the Minister 
concluded. 
 
China 
 
7.  Asked about China, Juwono stated Indonesia and China 
share a "Strategic Partnership," adding that he would visit 
China in September.  Elaborating further, Juwono said this 
bilateral cooperation was "nothing sinister" but rather was 
centered on transportation assets for sea and air, which the 
TNI needed for its disaster relief mission. 
 
8. This cable has been cleared by CODEL Payne. 
HUME