VZCZCXRO7012
OO RUEHDT RUEHPB
DE RUEHJA #2113/01 3631016
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 291016Z DEC 09
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4206
INFO RUCNARF/ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHHMUNA/USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 002113 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR S/R PANDITH 
DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, EAP/RSP, DRL, DRL/IRF 
NSC FOR D. WALTON 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OVIP PGOV PREL KISL ID
SUBJECT: S/R PANDITH'S DECEMBER 15-16 VISIT TO INDONESIA 
 
REF: JAKARTA 02027 
 
¶1.  (U)  The following messages is Sensitive but 
Unclassified.  Please handle accordingly. 
 
 ¶2. (SBU)  SUMMARY: During her December 15-16 visit to 
Indonesia, Special Representative to Muslim Communities Farah 
Pandith spoke about President Obama's and Secretary Clinton's 
vision of U.S. grassroots engagement with Muslim communities 
throughout the world.  Noting the importance of Indonesia, 
S/R Pandith outlined for the press, officials, academics and 
students the importance of private sector involvement, the 
promotion of entrepreneurship, and the engagement of civil 
society in order to connect with the 
next generation.  She stressed the importance of helping to 
find ways to build new partnerships, the use of technology, 
and acting as a convener, facilitator and intellectual 
partner.  SRMC stressed the impact Muslim youth can have 
through building of networks among like-minded individuals 
both on a local and more regional level.  The local press has 
reported accurately and positively on her visit.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
VISIT TO SOLO AND JAKARTA 
 
¶3.  (SBU) During her December 15-16 visit to Indonesia 
Special Representative to Muslim Communities Farah Pandith, 
traveled to Solo in Central Java and Jakarta.  She met with 
officials, academics, students and the press in both cities. 
She toured the national Istiqal Mosque in Jakarta, and 
visited a church and mosque in Solo which share a common 
wall--and friendly relationship.  Following are highlights of 
her visit. The main component of the visits were 
opportunities to talk with students both in high school and 
at a university. SRMC also stressed the importance of 
Indonesia as a model of how Islam, pluralism, women's rights, 
and democracy work well. 
 
SOLO -- HARMONY IN FORMER CENTER OF ISLAMIC MILITANCY 
 
¶4.  (SBU) S/R Pandith traveled to Solo to see first hand the 
steps that Mayor Jokowi had taken to facilitate tolerance in 
the city and environs.  Jokowi focused his efforts on 
community participation, entrepreneurship, infrastructure 
improvement, interfaith dialogue and law enforcement. 
Through his efforts, relative harmony has been achieved among 
the different religious groups in Solo (there is a large 
population of Christians) and 24 Islamic boarding schools 
(pesantren).  The city government has 
built markets, relocated squatters, and provided free 
computers and internet connections to marginalized 
communities. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) In her separate meetings with the mayor, pesantren 
residents, and State Islamic University students, Pandith 
explained President Obama's and Secretary Clinton's vision 
for a new form of grassroots engagement with Muslim 
communities throughout the world. She talked about why 
Secretary Clinton had established an Office of the Special 
Representative for the first time in US history and she 
talked about the importance of pluralism in America.  She 
challenged the students to be leaders in 
their schools and communities, and to use social media to 
showcase Islam in Indonesia to the world.  She stressed the 
importance of entrepreneurship in demonstrating to Muslim 
youth in other countries that they can shape how Islam is 
viewed internationally. She highlighted parts of the 
President,s Cairo speech and talked about the importance 
America places on building partnerships with Muslims around 
the world. She focused on the diversity of Islam which got 
much support from the audiences. 
 
IN JAKARTA -- SOLICITING IDEAS TO GROW RESPECT 
 
¶6.  (SBU) On December 16, S/R Pandith met with members of the 
recently formed Indonesia America People to People (IA-P2P). 
IA-P2P was created in response to President Obama,s Cairo 
speech.  In line with the President's vision, the founders 
--leading Indonesian academics and retired politicians-- are 
working at a grassroots, level to facilitate "mutual 
understanding and mutual respect."  She urged the Indonesians 
to tell their story of a Muslim majority country that had 
embraced religious tolerance, democracy, and modernity.   The 
group explained that Indonesia's commitment to these values 
and principles needed to be maintained and nurtured, 
 
JAKARTA 00002113  002 OF 002 
 
 
particularly among young people. 
 
¶7.  (SBU) Members of IA-P2P explained the steps that their 
organizations had taken to highlight for Indonesian youth the 
importance of these values.  Examples of the group's actions 
included:  producing a movie which focused on tolerance; 
publishing books by both Indonesian and foreign authors who 
spoke about the benefits of religious plurality; and printing 
comic books whose main characters respected religious 
differences.  The well regarded rector of Paramadina 
University Anies Baswedan stated that Indonesian youth could 
usefully connect with young people around the world to 
discuss issues of mutual concern such 
as good governance and protecting the environment.  He 
explained that Paramadina,s graduate school offered a course 
on eliminating corruption.  As part of the course, students 
had to identify, research and report on local cases of 
corruption.  In order to document the corruption, many 
students made short videos and/or took photos.  Pandith, who 
was very enthusiastic about the project, encouraged Baswedan 
to establish a Facebook page, which explained the effort and 
included the student's videos, photos and stories.  Moreover, 
the Indonesian students could encourage youth in other 
countries to submit their 
own examples of uncovering corruption.  Pandith offered to 
connect Baswedan with experts on setting up Facebook pages. 
 
¶8.  (SBU) During a lively dinner hosted by the Ambassador 
with leaders from the government, civil society, academic and 
business communities, the guests shared their experiences, 
explained on-going projects, and proposed projects on 
instilling the value of respect and tolerance among 
Indonesian youth.  The Ambassador urged his guests to discuss 
among themselves, as well as with S/R Pandith, how 
best to encourage business involvement in the process.  Many 
of the guests were eager to bring the private sector forward 
into helping on these issues.  One of the guests, Lily Munir, 
talked about a new program she was launching out of the NGO 
Sisters Against Violent Extremism (SAVE) where they create 
youth events that get kids interested and active on pushing 
back against violent extremist ideology. 
 
¶9. Embassy Jakarta has many ideas using local NGOs to work on 
issues that utilize technology and youth and SRMC will be 
working closely with post on building some of the ideas out. 
Further, SRMC noted that in her meeting with women activists 
they were interested in doing more to show the diversity of 
Islam.  The guests were from all parts of the spectrum and 
felt that America could do more to help the image of Muslim 
women globally to turn it from one of pity and stereotypes to 
one that reflected the positive and modernity of what is 
taking place on the ground in many parts of the world. 
 
PRESS COVERAGE -- POSITIVE AND ACCURATE 
 
¶10.  (SBU) Press coverage of S/R Pandith,s visit was both 
positive and accurate.  The influential paper "Rakyat 
Merdeka," circulation 200,000, published three articles and 
one photo of her visit.  One headline read, "U.S. Engages 
with Youth in Muslim World."  TV1, with a viewership of 7 
million, ran footage from Pandith,s tour of the Grand Mosque 
Istiqal on a weekly religious talk show.  During the 
interview, Pandith spoke about the U.S. government's 
commitment to engage with Muslim communities. 
 
¶11.  (U) Special Representative Pandith has cleared this 
message. 
HUME