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OO RUEHAG RUEHBC RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDA RUEHDE RUEHDF RUEHDT RUEHGI
RUEHHM RUEHIK RUEHJS RUEHKUK RUEHLH RUEHLZ RUEHPW RUEHROV
DE RUEHJA #0655 0930716
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 020716Z APR 08
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8529
INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS PRIORITY
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES
RUCNISL/ISLAMIC COLLECTIVE
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 2246
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 1701
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 1737
RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON 2477
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 2538
RUEHPT/AMCONSUL PERTH 0671
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RHHJJPI/USPACOM HONOLULU HI

UNCLAS JAKARTA 000655 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, DS/IP/EAP, DS/ATA, CA/OCS 
NSC FOR E.PHU 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL ASEC ID
SUBJECT: C-D18-00223:  INDONESIA REACTS CALMLY TO RELEASE 
OF ANTI-ISLAMIC VIDEO 
 
REF: A. JAKARTA 459 
 
     ¶B. STATE 20822 
 
¶1.  (U) This message was coordinated with Consulate General 
Surabaya and Consulate Medan.  It is Sensitive but 
Unclassified. 
 
SIPDIS 
 
¶2.  (SBU) SUMMARY:  Indonesians are beginning to react to the 
release of the Dutch M.P.'s anti-Islamic video.  President 
Yudhoyono condemned the film and said the GOI had "banned" 
it, while one Minister said he had requested YouTube to take 
steps to prevent its broadcast.  There have been some small 
rallies in Jakarta, but the situation has been peaceful, with 
government and religious authorities stressing the need for a 
"mature" reaction.  Mission does not plan to issue a Warden 
Message or Security Notice at this time.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) GOI BANS VIDEO:  Indonesians are beginning to react 
to the release of the anti-Islamic video produced by Dutch 
parliamentarian Gert Wilders.  On March 31, Indonesian 
President Yudhoyono held a press conference (mainly dealing 
with other issues) where he stated that the GOI had "banned" 
the showing of the video, which is called "Fitna."  Yudhoyono 
also barred Wilders from entering Indonesia in any capacity. 
 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Meanwhile, there are media reports that the 
Minister of Communications sent a letter to YouTube demanding 
that broadcasts of any "anti-Muslim videos" (including 
"Fitna") within Indonesia be blocked by April 4.  The 
Minister basically seemed to be threatening to make YouTube 
unavailable to Internet subscribers in Indonesia if YouTube's 
management did not take certain steps.  Indonesian 
parliamentarians and religious authorities have also 
denounced the video.  That said, virtually everyone in 
positions of authority, including Muslim religious leaders, 
have called for a calm and a "mature" reaction. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) SMALL RALLIES:  There have been some small rallies, 
including in front of the Dutch Embassy in Jakarta.  The 
rallies were led by the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) and 
Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia (HTI), two hard-line groups.  The 
demonstrators demanded that the Dutch Ambassador be recalled 
to the Netherlands and intimated that they might harass Dutch 
citizens living in Indonesia.  The protesters also threw a 
few eggs and bottled water at the Dutch Embassy, but no 
arrests or injuries were reported.  Dutch Embassy security 
officer Peter Nuyten told RSO that approximately 250 
Indonesian National Police (INP) were maintaining tight 
security around the premises.  That security presence, so 
far, has heavily outnumbered the number of rally-goers. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) NO WARDEN MESSAGE AT THIS TIME:  There have not 
been rallies held outside USG interests as of this point. 
There are reports that a rally may occur in the vicinity of 
Consulate General Surabaya, however.  Embassy Jakarta, 
Consulate General Surabaya and Consulate Medan have not 
received threats against employees or facilities, or received 
any reports of threats directed against Americans.  Mission 
has decided that a Warden Message is unnecessary at this 
time.  If the situation shows signs of turbulence, Mission 
will consider further action to warn citizens and staff.  So 
far, however, the reaction in Indonesia is a restrained one. 
 
HUME