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OO RUEHBC RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDE RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHKUK RUEHLH RUEHPW
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DE RUEHJA #0005/01 0020947
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O 020947Z JAN 09
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1119
INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS PRIORITY
RUCNISL/ISLAMIC COLLECTIVE
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 5785
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 3468
RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA 1541
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 2561
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 5289
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 2910
RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON 3389
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 3212
RUEHBAD/AMCONSUL PERTH 1383
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RHHJJPI/USPACOM HONOLULU HI

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 000005 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MLS, EAP/MTS, EAP/RSP, NEA, NEA/IPA, DS 
COMMAND CENTER 
NSC FOR E.PHU 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/02/2019 
TAGS: PREL PGOV ASEC KISL ID IS
SUBJECT: GAZA -- INDONESIA REACTS TO ISRAELI MILITARY 
OPERATIONS 
 
REF: JAKARTA - OPS CENTER 01/02/2009 TELECONS 
 
Classified By: Pol/C Joseph L. Novak, reasons 1.4(b+d). 
 
¶1.  (C) SUMMARY:  The GOI and Indonesian Muslim groups have 
strongly condemned ongoing Israeli military operations in 
Gaza.  Hard-line groups have called for volunteer fighters to 
go to Gaza, but the Indonesian government has vowed to 
prevent this.  The GOI is sending a medical relief team to 
the region.  Muslim groups continue to organize 
demonstrations, including one outside of the Mission on 
January 2.  That rally--which was in the process of breaking 
up as of 5:00 PM local--was peaceful.  END SUMMARY. 
 
STRONG CONDEMNATION 
 
¶2.  (U) Indonesian officials have strongly condemned the 
ongoing Israeli military operation in Gaza.  President 
Yudhoyono criticized Israeli actions as "disproportionate" 
and said "Indonesia supported the Palestinian people." 
Yudhoyono pledged $1 million in humanitarian and medical 
assistance for Gaza.  He also called for an immediate 
ceasefire and urged the UN Security Council to work toward 
that end.  The Department of Foreign Affairs (DEPLU) also 
issued a statement condemning Israeli actions.  (Note: 
Indonesia finished its two-year term on the UNSC on December 
31, 2008.) 
 
¶3.  (C) Hard-line groups--a small presence here--went 
further.  The Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) and Hizbut Tahrir 
Indonesia (HTI) called for volunteer fighters to go to Gaza. 
On January 2, DEPLU spokesman Teuku Faizasyah said the 
government would forbid Indonesian nationals from traveling 
to Gaza in order to fight.  Foreign Minister Wirajuda and the 
conservative Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) both encouraged 
Indonesian Muslims to donate to humanitarian relief efforts 
in Gaza instead.  Mission contacts have told us that they 
seriously doubt that any Indonesians will try to travel to 
the Middle East to join the Hamas cause. 
 
¶4.  (U) A key Indonesian political figure is attempting to 
play a role in ending the conflict in Gaza.  Hidayat Nur 
Wahid, a leader of Islamic-oriented Prosperous Justice Party 
(PKS) and Chair of the People's Consultative Assembly 
(MPR--the upper house of the Indonesian parliament), left for 
the Middle East on January 1.  He will join a delegation of 
Muslim leaders from various countries who will try to broker 
an end to the conflict.  (Note:  The delegation is linked to 
the al-Quds Foundation, an international organization that 
supports the Palestinian cause.) 
 
RELIEF EFFORTS 
 
¶5.  (U) The GOI continues to move forward with plans to send 
medical relief personnel and supplies to Gaza.  A team of 15 
medical personnel from the Health Ministry and several Muslim 
relief organizations departed Jakarta for Jordan on January 
¶1.  The team carried two tons of medical supplies and planned 
to purchase additional supplies in the region.  A DEPLU 
official said the Indonesian team was still uncertain how it 
would enter Gaza. 
 
¶6.  (U) One possibility under discussion was staffing and 
equipping a hospital in the Egyptian town of Rafah, just 
across the border from Gaza.  Indonesian officials continue 
to discuss possible arrangements with the Egyptians.  DEPLU 
has promised that Indonesian efforts will be coordinated with 
the United Nations and other relief organizations that are 
working in the area. 
 
LARGE, PEACEFUL PROTESTS (SO FAR) 
 
 
JAKARTA 00000005  002 OF 002 
 
 
¶7.  (SBU) Muslim groups continue to organize large but 
peaceful protests across the country.  On December 31, PKS 
organized a 3000-4000 person demonstration in front of the 
Embassy in central Jakarta.  PKS leaders gave us a letter 
from party president Tifatul Sembiring that contained a 
strongly worded condemnation of Israeli action--and of 
purported U.S. support for it.  (Note:  Mission has sent a 
copy of the letter to EAP/MTS.)  Later that same day, FPI and 
HTI led a smaller demonstration at the Embassy.  All together 
4,000-5,000 people took part in the various demonstrations. 
 
¶8.  (SBU) Demonstrations continued on January 2, when PKS 
brought 20,000-25,000 demonstrators (and possibly more) out 
for a rally in front of the Embassy.  Although the noisy 
demonstration fouled up traffic across the city for hours, it 
remained peaceful.  The Indonesian National Police (INP) have 
provided excellent security support to Mission.  There have 
also been rallies held outside of the Egyptian Embassy, with 
protesters calling for the GOE to open the Rafah border 
crossing with Gaza. 
 
HEFFERN