Cablegate: Indonesia Wins International Democracy Award

VZCZCXRO0726
PP RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHJA #3211 3240713
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 200713Z NOV 07
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7123
INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS
RUEHJA/ISLAMIC CONFERENCE COLLECTIVE
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 1151
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 1606
RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON 2043
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 4510
RUEHPT/AMCONSUL PERTH 0456
RHHJJPI/USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC

UNCLAS JAKARTA 003211

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, INR/EAP
NSC FOR EPHU

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL KDEM ID ML
SUBJECT: INDONESIA WINS INTERNATIONAL DEMOCRACY AWARD

REF: JAKARTA 2051

1. (U) This message was coordinated with Consulate Surabaya.

2. (U) SUMMARY: Indonesia was recently awarded the
Democracy Medal by the International Association of Political
Consultants--the latest acknowledgement of Indonesia's
remarkable democratic success story. The award recognized
Indonesia for the outstanding democratic progress it has made
since the fall of Suharto in 1998, and for proving that
democracy and Islam can co-exist. President Yudhoyono
accepted the award at a ceremony held in Bali. This
award--plus Freedom House's recent high ranking--highlight
Indonesia's standing among democratic countries. END SUMMARY.

SHINING EXAMPLE

3. (U) On November 12, the International Association of
Political Consultants (IAPC) awarded Indonesia the Democracy
Medal at a ceremony in Bali. Founded in 1968, the IAPC
represents an international collection of political
consultants and political science experts "dedicated to
fostering democracy" throughout the world. The President of
the Association, Ben Goddard (an AmCit), called Indonesia "a
shining example of hope" and praised the world's largest
Muslim majority nation for demonstrating the compatibility of
democratic and Islamic values. IAPC's Asia head, Pri Sulisto
(an Indonesian political consultant), noted that Indonesia
increasingly "serves as an example for Asian countries, some
of which are still ruled by iron-fisted regimes."

4. (U) Indonesia received the award as a result of the
democratic progress made since the fall of Suharto in 1998.
In his presentation of the award, Goddard specifically noted
the role of the Indonesian people in bringing the Suharto era
to a close. Goddard also cited Indonesia's successful 2004
presidential elections--generally recognized as one of the
larger single-day elections in the world's history. The
award citation further noted that since 2004, Indonesia has
consolidated its fledgling democratic traditions by
conducting a series of direct gubernatorial and
district-level elections. In 2006, for example, Indonesia
upheld the election of a former separatist rebel as governor
of Aceh.

SBY'S COMMENTS

5. (U) In accepting the award "on behalf of the Indonesian
people," Yudhoyono noted that "the heart and soul of
Indonesia remains moderate and progressive" and that "in
Indonesian democracy, Islam and modernity go hand in hand."
The President also suggested that democracy in Indonesia had
reached a point of "no return." The event received prominent
media coverage in Indonesia, including photos of a beaming
SBY accepting the award.

RECOGNIZING AN IMPRESSIVE RECORD

6. (SBU) Indonesians were clearly gratified by the Democracy
Medal. The award--plus Indonesia's recent high-ranking by
Freedom House--underscore Indonesia's newfound standing among
democratic countries. Indonesia has not yet fully
assimilated its post-Suharto position in the international
community and still does not see itself to be in the business
of exporting democratic norms. That said, it is becoming
used to seeing itself as model of sorts for the successful
transition from autocracy to democracy.

HEFFERN

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