VZCZCXRO7788
RR RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHJS #0081/01 2600934
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 170934Z SEP 09
FM AMCONSUL SURABAYA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0453
RUEHJA/AMEMBASSY JAKARTA 0442
INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON 0173
RUEHJS/AMCONSUL SURABAYA 0464

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 SURABAYA 000081 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EAP/PD, EAP/MTS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KPAO PREL SOCI KISL ID
SUBJECT: EAST JAVA: SURABAYA'S RAMADAN OUTREACH MAKES A POSITIVE 
IMPRESSION FROM PESANTRENS TO THE BLOGOSPHERE 
 
REF: Jakarta 1465 
 
SURABAYA 00000081  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1. (U) Summary:  The staff of ConGen Surabaya extended their 
hands to 1500 Indonesians during the first three weeks of 
Ramadan.  Surabaya hosted seven Iftaar events (known locally as 
Buka Puasas) throughout East Java and gave eight presentation on 
"Muslims in America" at local schools.  The Iftaar guest lists 
included senior political officials, academics and religious 
leaders, high school students and USG program participants, 
orphans and disadvantaged youth, and Surabaya's blogger 
community.  Community leaders publicly praised the Consulate's 
efforts as demonstrating America's humanity and an understanding 
of Islam.  The President's Ramadan Kareem video was shown to 
more than 750 people through the Iftaars and presentations at 
local schools.  The video inspired an op-ed by Syaifullah Yusuf, 
Vice Governor of East Java, who described his positive 
impression of the Consulate's Iftaar and the President's 
message. End Summary. 
 
REACHING OUT TO ALL LEVELS 
 
¶2. (U) ConGen Surabaya hosted seven Buka Puasa events during the 
first three weeks of Ramadan, breaking the fast with more than 
1,000 East Javans.  The first event included prominent 
government officials, religious leaders, academics, and opinion 
leaders.  Vice-Governor of East Java, Syaifullah Yusuf, led the 
prayers and spoke on behalf of the guests about the meaning of 
celebrating Ramadan in the CGR. (Note: Also known as Gus Ipul, 
the Vice-Governor is the nephew of former Indonesian President 
Gus Dur and the former national chairman of the youth wing of 
Nadhlatul Ulama (NU), the largest Muslim organization in 
Indonesia.)  After the Iftaar, Gus Ipul placed an op-ed in the 
Jawa Pos, the largest media group in Indonesia, about the 
Consulate's Iftaar and the positive impression the President's 
Ramadan Kareem message had on him. 
 
¶3. (U) Three Iftaars were community-service oriented.  Members 
of staff and their families visited Pesantren Roudlotul Jannah 
in Sidoarjo, a religious school which raises abandoned children 
from throughout Indonesia, especially Bali.  In cooperation with 
STKIP Bangkalan, an English teaching college, the Consulate 
hosted an Iftaar for 200 orphans on the nearby island of Madura. 
 The Consulate hosted another Buka Puasa at a Surabaya school 
for the blind.  Over 450 children received care packages from 
the Consulate and broke fast with the Consulate staff.  The 
positive press was overwhelming, with religious leaders praising 
the Consulate's efforts as clear demonstrations of America's 
humanity and an understanding of Islam.  Images of Consulate 
families playing with the children, singing with the children, 
and giving out prayer mats saturated regional media outlets. 
 
¶4. (U) Two Iftaars were directed towards youth and young adults. 
 The Consul General hosted YES alumni, IVLP alumni, and 
university student leaders for the Consulate's first-youth 
oriented Iftaar.  The Consulate also hosted an "E-Buka Puasa" 
for Eastern Indonesia's blogger community.  Many regional blogs 
featured posts about the Consulate's Buka Puasa, from photos of 
the food to profiles of various Consulate staff.  Overall, 
guests said they were honored and impressed to be invited to the 
Consul General's home and included in Consulate Ramadan events. 
The final Iftaar, hosted by the RSO at the CGR, honored the 
police and security officials who help secure the Consulate 
every day. 
 
A LASTING IMPACT 
 
¶5. (U) The Consulate community reached out directly to 1500 
people in three weeks, not only through the seven Iftaars, but 
also through an additional eight outreach events at local high 
schools where Consulate Officers gave presentations about 
"Muslims in America" and fielded the full range of questions. 
Media coverage, in turn, reached hundreds of thousands of people 
throughout Eastern Indonesia.  Local newspapers ran multiple 
stories about each event; radio stations broadcast the 
Consulate's Ramadan greetings, and local TV stations ran 
positive reports on the Consulate's outreach events on evening 
news programs. 
 
¶6. (U) Jawa Pos daily (circulation 340,000) ran an article 
headlined "Peace Message from President Obama" following a 
presentation about Muslims in the U.S. at a Sidoarjo high 
school.  Duta Masyarakat, a daily affiliated with Indonesia's 
largest Muslim organization NU, ran an article headlined 
"Building Harmony, Understanding Islam" about the Iftaar at the 
CGR with local opinion leaders.  The article highlighted the 
PO's statements that tolerance in religious life is a principle 
embraced by the U.S.   Moch Hafiz, head of STKIP Bangkalan, told 
reporters the Buka Puasa in Madura showed "that Americans to do 
 
SURABAYA 00000081  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
not consider Muslims to be the enemy".  The Consulate's Iftaars 
and Ramadan outreach strategy successfully conveyed our message 
of peace, tolerance, and understanding. 
MCCLELLAND