VZCZCXRO1477
PP RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHJA #2028/01 3081033
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 031033Z NOV 08
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0510
INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 5076
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 3231
RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON 3217
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 2381
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 2674
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 5561
RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA 1392
RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO 1418
RUEHBAD/AMCONSUL PERTH 1243
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 3071
RHHJJPI/USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 002028 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, S/CT, DRL/AWH 
NSC FOR EPHU 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/03/2018 
TAGS: KDEM KISL PGOV PTER ID
SUBJECT: SOLO -- FROM RADICAL HUB TO TOURIST HAVEN 
 
Classified By: Pol/C Joseph L. Novak, reasons 1.4 (b+d). 
 
¶1.  (C) SUMMARY:  Solo, Central Java, for years an economic 
backwater and hub of radicals, is reclaiming its place as an 
important, vibrant Indonesian city.  In an example of good 
governance at the local level, an entrepreneurial new mayor 
has worked to help curb militant Islam while promoting Solo's 
cultural heritage and investment possibilities.  In a recent 
coming out party, Solo hosted hundreds of dignitaries for a 
world heritage conference.  There are still some militants in 
Solo--including at the infamous Ngruki pesantren which was 
founded by extremist leader Abu Bakar Bashir--but the GOI now 
seems to have the situation under control.  END SUMMARY. 
 
A BIG EVENT IN SOLO 
 
¶2.  (U) Solo hosted the Euro-Asia World Heritage Cities 
Organization (OWHC) conference, October 25-28.  The event 
brought hundreds of dignitaries from all over the world to 
Solo, a major city with a million people, to participate in 
the festivities.  Over 700,000 residents of the city turned 
out for a large parade in honor of the conference on October 
¶26.  DepPol/C attended the conference for Mission. 
 
¶3.  (C) For a city that has had a reputation as an extremist 
hub, the situation in Solo was calm and the event went 
forward without a hitch.  "See how safe Solo is?" the low-key 
mayor, Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, emphasized to DepPol/C while 
chatting in a bustling outdoor foodcourt in downtown Solo, a 
project which is part of his efforts to refurbish the city. 
Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda sat to his other side, 
wearing blue jeans and with no security in sight. 
 
FORMERLY A HUB FOR EXTREMISTS 
 
¶4.  (C) When Mayor Widodo took office in 2005, Islamic 
Defenders Front (FPI) thugs and their cohorts regularly 
extorted tourist hotels by threatening "to sweep" westerners 
from the city.  Tourist hotels closed in the historic city 
center.  At that time, a corrupt and incompetent mayor did 
nothing to control the vigilantes, running Solo deeper and 
deeper into disrepair.  Former "students" at the infamous 
Ngruki pesantren (Islamic boarding school)--located on Solo's 
outskirts and headed by Jemaah Islamiyah spiritual leader Abu 
Bakar Bashir--were linked to terrorist attacks, further 
frightening away tourists. 
 
¶5. (C) To improve the situation, Mayor Widodo worked with 
police and the central government in order to provide 
improved security for the area's residents.  Progress was 
incremental, but the situation has improved and extremists 
are no longer ruling the streets.  In addition, he started a 
dialogue with radical leaders, arriving at a pact that they 
would stop terrorizing citizens and scaring away tourists so 
that Solo could be revitalized.  "It is just a matter of 
reaching out to them and building trust," said Widodo, age 
¶47.  In the meantime, the Ngruki pesantren continues to 
operate and to be involved in extremist politics.  That said, 
activities there are closely monitored by GOI security 
forces. 
 
¶6. (C) Founded in 1745, Solo has had a chequered history.  In 
recent times, Solo's court remained loyal to the Dutch during 
the Indonesian Revolution while rival Yogyakarta became the 
seat of the rebels who emerged victorious.  Due to this, 
Yogyakarta was rewarded, becoming its own special district, 
while the GOI effectively punished Solo, which was absorbed 
into the larger province of Central Java.  Yogyakarta's 
sultanate was also officially recognized while Solo's lost 
that status.  In the 1960s, Solo was a stronghold of leftists 
and became a center of anti-communist bloodletting.  Muslim 
groups then began to gain strength in the area, 
culminating--as noted--in the activities of extremists in the 
early 2000's. 
 
JAKARTA 00002028  002 OF 002 
 
 
 
SOLO AS A CENTER OF CULTURE 
 
¶7.  (C) As part of his reform effort, Mayor Widodo also put 
in place Solo's first modern city development plan on the 
theme of "Solo's Future is Solo's Past."  He is preserving 
and revitalizing the city's ancient city center while pushing 
new development to the suburbs.  Tourism is up as two new 
major hotels were opened this year with occupancy rates now 
at 90 percent, and seven more slated to open next year. 
DepPol/C discussed with Widodo ideas for strengthening ties 
with the U.S. 
 
¶8.  (C) Widodo also decided that Solo would be Indonesia's 
"city of performing arts."  A successful furniture exporter 
for 19 years before being elected, Widodo also took stock of 
his inventory:  440 performing arts schools for music, dance 
and theater--outshining even its more glamorous neighbor, 
Yogyakarta.  Moreover, Solo is famed for traditional batik, 
puppets and other local handicrafts, not to mention ancient 
palaces, nearby temples, quaint alleyways, and broad 
tree-lined avenues.  Widodo worked to publicize this and 
stimulate further cultural activity.  He has plans to build 
both a convention center and has set aside land to build what 
he hopes will be a world class opera house. 
 
¶9.  (U) He lobbied the OWHC for two years to convince it to 
hold the 2008 Euro-Asian event in Solo.  A major undertaking, 
it went off flawlessly, with four days of non-stop exhibits 
and workshops promoting Solo's cultural heritage.  Widodo 
subcontracted out most of the work to the city's most 
talented professionals to ensure a quality product. 
 
A REVIVED CITY 
 
¶10.  (C) At this point, Solo finally appears to be turning a 
corner.  In a city once virtually moribund because of bad 
leadership and radical hooliganism, Solo is an example of how 
an elected local leader can quickly institute reform under 
democracy and Indonesia's new decentralized system. 
 
¶11.  (C) Solo is also a symbol of just how far Indonesia has 
come in the effort to fight terrorism and extremism.  There 
are still some extremists in Solo's region, but there number 
is quite small and they seem increasingly marginalized. 
(Note:  The situation in Solo is due to be tested in the 
near-term if the GOI executes the Bali bombers.  Sympathizers 
of the terrorists reside at the Ngruki pesantren and they 
presumably could plan rallies, etc.  The GOI says it has the 
situation under control, however.) 
HUME