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OO RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHJA #1040/01 1701033
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O 191033Z JUN 09 ZFR
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2594
INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS COLL PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 JAKARTA 001040 
 
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SUBJECT: SCENESETTER FOR HDAC CODEL VISIT JUNE 30 TO JULY 2 
 
JAKARTA 00001040  001.2 OF 003 
 
 
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JAKARTA 00001040  002 OF 003 
 
 
successful legislative elections since the advent of 
democracy in 1998.  They were peaceful and Indonesians 
accepted the results.  This was also the first time 
Indonesian voters were able to directly choose individual 
representatives.  The previous elections were based on party 
lists.  Voters embraced this move and many hope it will 
strengthen member-constituent relations. The new Parliament 
will be seated October 1, 2009.  You will meet with both 
current and incoming Parliament members. There was a high 
turnover of members in the April election, so many of our 
current interlocutors will not hold seats next term.  Seventy 
percent of the incoming Parliament Members are new; many of 
them have varied backgrounds and no legislative experience. 
 
¶9.    (SBU) Indonesians are increasingly confident in their 
democracy.  Through free press and active civil society, they 
are quick to demand corrections when the system is not 
working.  Many chastised the Election Commission (KPU) for 
its ineffective administration of the legislative elections. 
Voter list irregularities effectively disenfranchised 
millions of voters, according to NGOs.  The Constitutional 
Court is reviewing allegations of fraud and other election 
dispute cases until June 24.  Its decisions, considered 
impartial, are changing the outcomes of some of the 
legislative election results and re-instilling confidence in 
the credibility of the election process.  Significantly, one 
of the court's decisions may mean that the current Speaker of 
the House, Agung Laksono (with whom you will have a courtesy 
call July 1), could lose his seat. 
 
¶10.   (SBU)  Nine parties won parliamentary seats April 9. 
The top three parties are secular nationalist parties, 
followed by four Islamic-oriented parties and two parties led 
by former generals.  President Yudhoyono's Partai Demokrat 
(PD) was the winner, with 20.85% of the popular vote, 
followed by Vice President Kalla's party, Golkar, and 
Megawati's party, The Indonesian Party of Struggle, (PDI-P). 
 
 
PEACE IN ACEH: NEXT CHALLENGE-GOVERNANCE 
 
¶11.   (SBU) As part of the Helsinki MOU, six local political 
parties participated in Aceh's provincial legislative 
elections.  Local Partai Aceh (PA) won a near majority at the 
legislative level (33 of 69 seats) and a majority of seats at 
many of the local levels.  PA leaders have requested 
legislative capacity building from us.  PA's ability to 
govern will directly affect the prospects for continued peace 
and development in Aceh. 
 
INDONESIA: AN IMPORTANT PARTNER ON BURMA ISSUES 
 
¶12.   (SBU)  Indonesia has played an important 
behind-the-scenes role on encouraging democracy and human 
rights in Burma.  President Yudhoyono's Bali Democracy Forum, 
attended by Burma, is meant to lure the Burmese regime into 
learning about the benefits of democracy.  Indonesia has 
taken the lead along with Australia in the Bali Process to 
deal with irregular migration issues.  A key element of this 
is pressing Burma to grant citizenship to Rohingyas and to 
respect their rights. 
 
CHALLENGES IN PAPUA 
 
¶13.   (SBU) Indonesia continues to struggle with governance 
and development challenges in its eastern most provinces of 
Papua and West Papua.  Despite vast natural resource wealth, 
Papuans continue to lag behind other Indonesians-a situation 
that fuels discontent.  Implementation of the region's 2001 
Special Autonomy Law has lagged due to the provincial 
government's lack of capacity and the reluctance of  some 
central government ministries to cede control over critical 
areas.  The Indonesian police and military have made 
significant progress on human rights in Papua although 
incidents still sometimes occur.  A leading government think 
thank has recently published a plan-The Papua Roadmap-that 
charts a course for addressing Papua's development deficit 
and political grievances.  However, we do not expect any 
action on the plan until a new government takes office. 
Mission is aware of Congress' interest in the region, and 
will continue to pay close attention to developments. 
 
 
MISSION/HDAC COOPERATION CRUCIAL TO PARTNERSHIP 
 
¶14.   (SBU) The U.S. Embassy has been continuously engaged 
with the DPR, and USAID provides direct assistance to the 
 
JAKARTA 00001040  003 OF 003 
 
 
DPR.  HDAC programs are a welcome and complementary 
initiative that has facilitated progress on a range of issues 
affecting U.S. interests in Indonesia.  For example, the 
Embassy has engaged key DPR decision makers to encourage 
implementing legislation for the Cape Town Treaty.  This 
legislation allowed EX-IM to provide a $1 billion loan to 
Indonesian companies Lion Air and Garuda Air to purchase 
Boeing airplanes.  Our close cooperation with the DPR will be 
 key for institutional capacity building and democratic 
reform, particularly since the new DPR will consist of mainly 
new, inexperienced members.  We appreciate the opportunity to 
continue to jointly encourage Indonesia's growing democracy, 
and expand the U.S.-Indonesia comprehensive partnership. 
NORTH