JPYfQ9225 ES UNCLASSIFIED - t RELEASED IN PART Bl 1 4 D CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 01 ACTION EAP-01 JAKART 02675 01 OF 03 PTQ9225 131326Z ACQ-01 ClAE-OO ACDA-08 ACDE-OO AID-OO FBIE-OO DODE-OO DOEE-OO SRPP-OO DS-OO 10-00 LAB-01 L-01 ADS-OO INR-OO OMB-01 OPIC-01 PA-OO NSCE-OO OIC-02 TRSE -OO T-OO SP-OO P-OO CIO-OO G-OO NFAT-OO SAS-OO DSCC-OO DRL- 04 ------------------3D5BBD 131351Z 38 ' P 131325Z MAY 98 FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1516 INFO ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS AMEMBASSY CANBERRA USMISSION GENEVA USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI AMCONSUL SURABAYA INFO LOG-OO DINT-OO TEDE-OO NSAE-OO PRS-OO PMB-OO CON F IDE N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 JAKARTA 002675 USCINCPAC FOR AMB TEARE E O 12958 DECL 05 13 06 TAGS PGOV PINR ID SUBJECT POLITICAL REFORM - LOTS OF GOVERNMENT TALK WILL THERE BE ACTION REF 1 A JAKARTA 2632 B JAKARTA 2564 U CLASSIFIED BY POL COUNSELOR ED MCWILLIAMS REASON CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 JAKART 02675 01 OF 03 131326Z TEDSTATESDEPARTMENTOFSTATE REVIEW AUTHORITY CHARLES E LAHIGUERA CLASSIFICATION CONFIDENTIAL REASON 1 4 D IDECLASSIFY AFTER 12 MAY 2023 IDATE CASE ID 19 JlJN 2006 200502473 UNCLASSIFIED SMEC-OO H-01 NRRC-OO PM-OO USIE-OO 021W UNCLASSIFIED 1 5 D 2 C SUMMARY AS STUDENT PROTESTERS AND OPPOSITION FIGURES BECOME BOLDER AND INCREASINGLY FOCUS ON THE NEED FOR IMMEDIATE TRANSITION DISCUSSION OF THE MORE LIMITED YET CRITICAL AGENDA OF POLITICAL REFORM HAS PERSISTED EVEN IN GOVERNMENT CIRCLES IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS THE GOVERNMENT INCLUDING THE PRESIDENT THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE DPR AND THE DEFENSE MINISTER CINC HAS EMITTED A STEADY STREAM OF STATEMENTS ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF POLITICAL REFORM ON MAY 12 A PROMINENT GOVERNMENT CRITIC EMIL SALIM AND A GROUP OF ACADEMICS ISSUED A PETITION CALLING ON THE PARLIAMENT TO CARRY OUT QUICKLY THE REFORMS IT IS PROMISING I ITOLD THE AMBASSADOR Bl MAY 13 HOWEVER THAT HE BELIEVED THAT THE MAY 12 KILLING OF STUDENT PROTESTERS AT TRISAKTI UNIVERSITY MEANT THAT MODERATE REFORM PROPOSALS WOULD NO LONGER BE FOUND CREDIBLE BY STUDENTS IN OUR pRIVATE CONTACTS WITH SEVERAL OF THE HANDFUL OF RELATIVELY INDEPENDENT MEMBERS OF THE PARLIAMENT WE SENSE A HOPE THAT THE ' REFORM PROPOSALS ARE GENUINE ALTHOUGH WE HAVE HEARD THAT WORK ON REFORM IS BEGINNING IN VARIOUS DPR COMMISSIONS OR IN SPECIAL TEAMS WE HAVE NOT YET DETECTED ANY GREAT SENSE OF URGENCY IN MOVING FORWARD ON FLESHING OUT REFORM PROPOSALS IN FACT PUBLIC STATEMENTS FROM GOVERNMENT LEADERS HAVE TENDED TO REFLECT THEIR BELIEF THAT ANY REFORM PERMITTED WILL NOT COME QUICKLY WHICH WILL NOT SATISFY THE STUDENT DEMONSTRATORS ESPECIALLY IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE UNIVERSITY OF TRISAKTI KILLINGS END SUMMARY CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 JAKART 02675 01 OF 03 131326Z MIDDLE OF THE ROAD PRESSURE FOR SWIFT REFORM CONTINUES 3 U AS STUDENT PROTESTERS AND OPPOSITION FIGURES BECOME BOLDER AND FOCUS MORE ON THE NEED FOR IMMEDIATE TRANSITION THERE IS STILL DISCUSSION OF THE MORE LIMITED YET CRITICAL AGENDA OF POLITICAL REFORM FOR EXAMPLE FORMER GOVERNMENT MINISTER AND RECENT VICE PRESIDENTIAL PROTEST CANDIDATE EMIL SALIM ON MAY 12 LED A GROUP OF 50 UNIVERSITY OF INDONESIA PROFESSORS TO THE HOUSE OF UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED REPRESENTATIVES DPR TO PRESENT A PETITION TO THE ARMEP FOR S ABRI FACTION THE PETITION DEMANDED URGENT AND THOROUGH REFORM OF THE ELECTION SYSTEM AND IMPROVEMENTS TO THE DPR POLITICAL PARTIES AND SUPREME COURT ACCORDING TO PRESS ACCOUNTS HE SAID THAT THE HOUSE IS NOW RACING WITH TIME TO DECIDE NECESSARY MEASURES FOR REFORM THE LONGER THE HOUSE TAKES TO DECIDE THE WORSE THE ECONOMIC CRISIS WILL BECOME 4 C I OLD THE AMBASSADOR MAY 13 HOWEVER THAT HE BELIEVED THAT THE MAY 12 KILLING OF STUDENT PROTESTERS AT TRISAKTI UNIVERSITY MEANT THAT MODERATE REFORM PROPOSALS WOULD NO LONGER BE FOUND CREDIBLE BY STUDENTS GOVERNMENT TALK ABOUT POLITICAL REFORM 5 U IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS THE GOVERNMENT INCLUDING THE PRESIDENT THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE DPR AND THE DEFENSE MINISTER CINC HAS EMITTED A STEADY STREAM OF STATEMENTS ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF POLITICAL REFORM AS HE WAS LEAVING JAKARTA FOR CAIRO ON MAY 9 SOEHARTO AGAIN SIGNALLED THAT HE WAS PREPARED TO CONSIDER SOME KIND OF CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 04 JAKART 02675 01 OF 03 131326Z REFORM SAYING THAT HE ENDORSED THE DPR'S REFORM INITIATIVES REFTEL B SOEHARTO EARLIER HAD SIGNALLED THAT PREPARATION FOR REFORMS TO BE CARRIED OUT POST 2003 COULD BEGIN NOW SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE DPR HARMOKO ANNOUNCED ON MAY 4 THAT THE HOUSE WOULD REVISE OR INITIATE TEN LAWS COVERING POLITICAL ECONOMIC AND LEGAL MATTERS DEFENSE MINISTER AND COMMANDER IN CHIEF WlRANTO ON MAY 7 CALLED ON STUDENTS TO STOP THEIR PROTESTS AS THE ARMED FORCES UNDERSTOOD THEIR DEMANDS FOR POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC AND HAD INCORPORATED THEM INTO THE NATIONAL AGENDA HE EMPHASIZED HOWEVER THAT REFORM WOULD TAKE TIME ARMED FORCES FACTION DEVIL IS IN THE DETAILS ON REFORM 6 U THE MILITARY'S VICE SPEAKER OF THE DPR LT GEN RET SYARWAN HAMID TOLD A MEETING OF EDITORS ON MAY 8 THAT THE NATION COULD COLLAPSE WITHOUT SIGNIFICANT POLITICAL REFORM COMMENT POLITICAL REFORM IS A NEW UNCLASSIFIED Bl UNCLASSIFIED SUBJECT FOR HAMID END COMMENT HE ECHOED WlRANTO'S CALL FOR THE STUDENTS TO STOP THEIR DEMONSTRATIONS BECAUSE THEIR CONCERNS HAD BEEN HEARD HE ALSO STRESSED HOWEVER THAT THE DPR COULD NOT BE RUSHED IN CARRYING OUT ITS EFFORTS CONFIDENTIAL NNNNPTQ9228 CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 01 ACTION EAP- ol INFO LOG- o o DINT- o o TEDE- oO NRRC- o o PM- oO USIE- oO o22W JAKART ACDA- o8 DODE-OO INR- o o NS AE- o o PRS- oO PMB-OO 02675 02 OF 03 ACDE- o o DOEE-O o IO- oO NSCE- o o P- o o DSCC- o o AID- o o SRPP-OO LAB- ol OIC- o2 CIO-OO DRL- o4 PTQ9228 131326Z ACQ- ol DS- oO L-Ol OMB- ol SP- o o G- o o ClAE- o o FBIE- o o ADS-OO OPIC-Ol TRSE-O o NFAT- o o ------------------3D5BC2 131351Z 38 P 131325Z MAY 98 FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1517 INFO ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS AMEMBASSY CANBERRA USMISSION GENEVA USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI AMCONSUL SURABAYA UNCLASSIFIED SMEC- o o H-O DCP- ol PA- o o T- o o SAS- o o _ ----- ------------- ----------------- UNCLASSIFIED CON F IDE N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 03 JAKARTA 002675 USCINCPAC FOR AMB TEARE E O 12958 DECL 05 13 06 TAGS PGOV PINR ID SUBJECT POLITICAL REFORM - LOTS OF GOVERNMENT TALK WILL THERE BE ACTION REF A JAKARTA 2632 B JAKARTA 2564 CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 7 JAKART 02675 02 OF 03 131326Z eCl - - - ____________________________________ ITOLD I -- - POLOFF MAY 6 THAT HE BELIEVED THAT THE DPR'S ANNOUNCED REFORM EFFORT WAS SIGNIFICANT HE SAID THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO RESPOND TO THE DEMANDS THAT THE PEOPLE SPECIFICALLY THE STUDENTS WERE ' MAKING HARMOKO' S ANNOUNCEMENT THAT THE DPR WOULD REVIEW OR INITIATE TEN PIECES OF MAJOR LEGISLATION INCLUDING THE LAWS ON ELECTIONS POLITICAL PARTIES AND GOLKAR AND THE COMPOSITION OF THE DPR AND PEOPLE'S CONSULTATIVE ASSEMBLY MPR HAD BEEN AGREED UPON BY ALL FACTIONS IN THE PARLIAJ IENT ABRI GOLKAR UNITED DEVELOPMENT PARTY INDONESIAN DEMOCRATIC PARTY I Bl 8 C DISCUSSION WITH I I ABOUT THE DETAILS OF REFORMS UNDER DISCUSSION RAISED QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW SIGNIFICANT HE ENVISAGED THE CHANGES WOULD BE ONE OF THE PROPOSALS HAS BEEN TO ESTABLISH A NEW ELECTORAL SYSTEM THAT WOULD GIVE MORE DIRECT REPRESENTATION IN THE DPR TO EACH AREA OF THE COUNTRY I ITOLD POLOFF THAT THIS MIGHT WORK IN BETTER-EDUCATED JAKARTA BUT WOULD NOT BE WORKABLE IN OUTLYING AREAS SUCH AS IRIAN JAYA I WAS UNCERTAIN AS TO WHETHER THE PROPOSAL TO STOP ALLOCATING SEATS IN THE DPR TO THE MILITARY WOULD BE WORKABLE HE WAS ALSO DOUBTFUL ABOUT THE EXTENT TO WHICH THE PARLIAMENT COULD EXERCISE ITS RIGHT TO INITIATE LEGISLATION IN CARRYING OUT 'THESE REFORMS HE SAID THAT UNCLASSIFIED Bl Bl Bl UNCLASSIFIED THE HOUSE WAS AT WORK ON AT LEAST TWO BILLS COVERING CORRUPTION AND CONSUMER PROTECTION AS FOR THE OTHER LAWS THAT HARMOKO ANNOUNCED WOULD BE REVIEWED OR INITIATED HE CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 JAKART 02675 02 OF 03 131326Z THOUGHT THAT THE DPR WOULD HAVE TO WORK WITH THE GOVERNMENT IN DRAFTING THESE AS IT DID NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT INSTITUTIONAL EXPERTISE TO DO THE WORK ITSELF RULING PARTY GOLKAR FACTION MIXED VIEWS ON SERIOUSNESS OF REFORM EFFORT ---------------------------------------------------------Bl I I TOLD POLOFF ON MAY 7 THAT SOEHARTO WAS NOT SERIOUS ABOUT REFORM AND WAS JUST ATTEMPTING TO BUY TIME AS HE FACED STUDENT PROTESTS MOREOVER I IDID NOT BELIEVE THAT THE DPR WOULD BE ABLE TO CARRY OUT REFORM AS IT WAS FULL OF SOEHARTO CRONIE S HE DID OFFER HOWEVER THAT IT WAS SIGNIFICANT THAT SOE TO HAD PUT THE ISSUE OF REFORM ON THE TABLE I 10 C I Bl Bl I POINTED OUT TO POLOFF ON MAY 8 THAT THE EXISTING POLITICAL SYSTEM BELONGED TO SOEHARTO FOR EXAMPLE THE GOLKAR DPR FACTION ANSWERED TO THE GOLKAR CENTRAL BOARD WHICH IN TURN ANSWERED TO SOEHARTO IT WAS THE SAME FOR THE ABRI FACTION c JsAID I ICONTENDED HOWEVER THAT PRESSURE FROM STUDENT PROTESTS AND SOCIETY HAD FORCED SOEHARTO TO GIVE THE DPR SOME NEW SPACE IN WHICH TO WORK 11 C r - l EXPLAINED THAT SPEAKER HARMOKO WOULD NOT HAVE D O ANNOUNCE A REFORM AGENDA WITHOUT A GO AHEAD FROM SOEHARTO GOLKAR MEMBERS WOULD NOT EVEN UTTER THE WORD REFORM REFORMASI UNTIL SOEHARTO SAID IT WHEN CONFIDENTIAL UNCLASSIFIED Bl Bl Bl -- ----- - - - - - - - - - - UNCLASSIFIED CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 04 JAKART 02675 02 OF 03 131326Z THE INITIAL PRESS REPORTS EMERGED ON SOEHARTO'S REFORM POSITION EMPHASIZING THAT THEY COULD NOT TAKE PLACE UNTIL AFTER 2003 1 IwAS SO FRUSTRATED THAT DWAS READY TO GO TO THE STREET HOWEVER IT HAD THEN BEEN CLARIFIED THAT THE PARLIAMENT COULD PREPARE THESE PROPOSALS 'NOW WHICH 1 IINTERPRETED TO MEAN WITHIN THE NEXT ONE OR TWO YEARS Bl Bl Bl I 13 ec Bl I EMPHASIZED TO POLOFF ON MAY 12 THAT THE STUDENT PROTESTS WERE LEADING TO NEW DISCUSSIONS IN GOVERNMENT CIRCLES ABOUT REFORM I Bl CONFIDENTIAL NNNNPTQ9229 UNCLASSIFIED Bl CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 01 ACTION EAP-01 INFO JAKART 02675 03 OF 03 UNCLASSIFIED PTQ9229 131326Z LOG-OO DINT-OO TEDE-OO NSAE-OO PRS-OO PMB-OO ACDA-08 ACDE-OO AID-OO ACQ-01 CIAE-OO DODE-OO DOEE-OO SRPP-OO DS-OO FBIE-OO INR-OO IO-OO LAB-01 L-01 ADS-OO NSCE-OO OIC-02 OMB-01 OPIC-01 PA-OO P-OO CIO-OO SP-OO TRSE-OO T-OO DSCC-OO DRL-04 G-OO NFAT-OO SAS-OO ------------------3D5BC5 131351Z 38 P 131325Z MAY 98 FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1518 INFO ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS AMEMBASSY CANBERRA USMISSION GENEVA USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI AMCONSUL SURABAYA SMEC-OO H-01 NRRC-OO PM-OO USIE-OO 021W CON F IDE N T I A L SECTION 03 OF 03 JAKARTA 002675 USCINCPAC FOR AMB TEARE E O 12958 DECL 05 13 06 TAGS PGOV PINR ID SUBJECT POLITICAL REFORM - LOTS OF GOVERNMENT TALK WILL THERE BE ACTION REF A JAKARTA 2632 B JAKARTA 2564 Bl UNCLASSIFIED 14 C __ __________ EMPHASIZED TO POLOFF ON MAY 7 THAT GIVEN SOEHARTO'S HISTORIC CONTROL OF THE POLITICAL SYSTEM ONLY THE GOVERNMENT COULD DRIVE REFORM NOT POLITICAL PARTIES SUCH AS PPP NEVERTHELESS PPP WAS TAKING THE REFORM EFFORT SERIOUSLY IN PARLIAMENT AND HAD FORMED ITS OWN TEAMS TO WORK ON EACH OF THE TEN IMPORTANT PIECES OF LEGISLATION THAT WOULD BE UNDER REVIEW OR INITIATED 15 C I ____________________________________ Bl Bl PROTECT EXPRESSED HIS BELIEF TO POL OFF ON RIL 27 THAT THE DPR HAD TO RESPOND TO THE STUDENTS DEMANDS OR ELSE THEY WOULD FIND ANOTHER CHANNEL HE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT SOME PEOPLE THOUGHT THAT POLITICAL REFORM WAS ONLY POSSIBLE IF SOEHARTO WAS REMOVED BUT SAID THAT OTHERS BELIEVED THAT HE COULD BEGIN THE PROCESS IF HE SHOWED SUFFICIENT POLITICAL WILL COMME NT 16 C THE GOVERNMENT'S TALK ABOUT POLITICAL REFORM IS UNPRECEDENTED IN RECENT MEMORY IT IS CLEARLY MEANT TO BE A RESPONSE TO THE MASSIVE STUDENT DEMONSTRATIONS WHETHER THIS OFFICIAL DISCUSSION OF REFORM IS GENUINE HOWEVER IS THE BIG QUESTION AND THE EFFORT SO FAR HAS NOT BEEN CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 JAKART 02675 03 OF 03 131326Z INFUSED WITH ANY GREAT SENSE OF URGENCY NEVERTHELESS IMPORTANT POLITICAL ISSUES THAT INDONESIA MUST GRAPPLE WITH HAvE OFFICIALLY BEEN BROACHED AND FIGURES SUCH AS EMIL SALIM APPEAR TO BE TRYING TO HOLD THE GOVERNMENT TO ITS PROMISES ROY UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED CONFIDENTIAL UNCLASSIFIED This document is from the holdings of The National Security Archive Suite 701 Gelman Library The George Washington University 2130 H Street NW Washington D C 20037 Phone 202 994-7000 Fax 202 994-7005 nsarchiv@gwu edu