VZCZCXRO3061
RR RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHJS #0119/01 2980718
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 240718Z OCT 08
FM AMCONSUL SURABAYA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0312
INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 0152
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RUEHJS/AMCONSUL SURABAYA 0317
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 0048
RUEHJA/AMEMBASSY JAKARTA 0297

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 SURABAYA 000119 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, INR/EAP, DRL/IRF, INL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV ID KIRF PHUM
SUBJECT: WEST NUSA TENGGARA: LIFE FOR LOMBOK'S AHMADIYAH SECT CHANGES 
LITTLE FOLLOWING MINISTERIAL EDICT 
 
REF: A. A JAKARTA 1459 (FEW REPORTS OF PRESSURE AFTER EDICT) 
     ¶B. SURABAYA 68 (AHMADIYAH SEEKS POLTICAL ASYLUM IN BALI) 
     ¶C. 07 SURABAYA 42 (LOMBOK'S AHMADIYAH) 
 
SURABAYA 00000119  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
This message is sensitive but unclassified.  Please protect 
accordingly. 
 
 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: During an October 16 visit by Office of 
International Religious Freedom (IRF) representative and 
Surabaya Pol/Econ Officer to Mataram, Ahmadiyah refugees 
described their difficult living conditions and frustrations 
trying to generate government action to improve their situation. 
 Despite a June 9 Joint Ministerial Edict (SKB) against the sect 
(Ref A), little has changed in their daily lives.  The election 
of a new governor -- a respected Islamic teacher -- has not had 
much impact on the Ahmadi's plight.  The local government has 
yet to provide basic services or permission to return home.  The 
SKB appears to have reinforced the local government's 
inclination to view resolving the plight of the Ahmadis as a 
central government responsibility.  Press coverage of the visit 
was generally factual, but noted the potential for future asylum 
requests.  End Summary. 
 
 
 
¶2.  (SBU)  On October 16, Surabaya Pol/Econ Officer, Pol/Econ 
Assistant and IRF's Clarissa Adamson visited the Ahmadiyah camp 
at Transito, in the city of Mataram, the provincial capital of 
West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), on Lombok island.  Currently 138 
Ahmadiyah followers are living in the Transito camp -- an urban 
dormitory used for internal migrants.  Another 57 people are 
staying in the nearby Praya Camp. Twenty people moved to 
Kendari, Southeast Sulawesi, two months ago. In Lombok most 
Ahmadis work in the agriculture and informal sectors as traders, 
street vendors, domestic helpers, etc.  The Transito refugees 
have been informed by the local government that limited food 
subsidies will end in December 2008. 
 
 
 
Still Waiting for Guidance 
 
 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  Local or provincial governments have yet to produce 
written guidance for public officials in the wake of the SKB 
regarding Ahmadiyah followers in Transito camp. The community's 
leaders told us that the refugees cannot return to their home 
village as at least three local officials (the regent of West 
Lombok, the head of the Lingsar district, and the head of 
Gegerungan Village) insist that they will not be safe there. 
The Ahmadis observed that the SKB has increased the existing 
tendency of the local government to ignore their plight and 
shift responsibility to the central government. 
 
 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  The Ahmadis complained that few people seemed to 
understand that the joint edict did not outlaw Ahmadiyah; it 
simply prohibited Ahmadiyah from proselytizing.  If given a 
guarantee of physical security and allowed to return to their 
home villages in Lombok, Ahmadiyah leaders in Transito said they 
would gladly return home without additional assistance from the 
government.   According to the Transito Ahmadis, the government 
still refused to issue National ID cards, which are central to 
every Indonesian's access to social and political benefits. 
Ahmadis have also been denied welfare cards, which would allow 
them to collect benefits as refugees.  Officials reportedly tell 
them that the absence of a fixed address prevents them from 
getting identity cards and letters confirming that they are 
destitute refugees. Transito Ahmadi's told us they suspect the 
real reason is because they are Ahmadiyah followers. 
 
 
 
Positive Local Developments 
 
 
 
¶5. (SBU) While the SKB has cast a shadow over the future of the 
Transito Ahmadiyah community, its followers claim good relations 
with local people and even some local officials.  One local 
official from the provincial Religious Affairs Department 
 
SURABAYA 00000119  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
recently officiated at two Ahmadiyah marriage ceremonies at 
Transito.  The officials attended the ceremony, recorded the 
marriages, and issued marriage certificates. In the past, the 
provincial government issued certificates without sending 
representatives. Two months ago, Ahmadiyah sent a letter to the 
newly elected governor requesting a meeting specifically to 
discuss their legal and social status, but have yet to receive a 
response.  The Ahmadis noted that the new governor has distant 
relations within the community and has not criticized Ahmadiyah 
publicly. 
 
 
 
Press Coverage 
 
 
 
¶6. (U) The USG visit to Transito was covered by the local 
newspaper Lombok Pos and its parent Jawa Pos on October 18.  A 
generally factual report stated that the U.S. Consulate 
representatives were interested in understanding the living 
conditions of the refugees. The article noted complaints by the 
refugees about conditions in the camp and stated that the 
refugees were interested in asylum in the U.S. should they no 
longer be accepted by their own country.  TVOne television news 
also broadcast a report on the visit nationally. 
MCCLELLAND