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Viewing cable 10JAKARTA159, ENGAGING INDONESIAN YOUTH - NSC RAMAMURTHY

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
10JAKARTA159 2010-02-04 07:12 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Embassy Jakarta
VZCZCXRO5868
PP RUEHBC RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDH RUEHDT RUEHGI RUEHJS RUEHKUK RUEHLH
RUEHPB RUEHPW RUEHROV RUEHTRO
DE RUEHJA #0159/01 0350712
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 040712Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4424
INFO RUCNARF/ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCNISL/ISLAMIC COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 000159 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR EAP/MTS, EAP/PD, R, IIP/IR, ECA 
NSC FOR P. RAMAMURTHY 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL SOCI KISL OEXC OIIP KPAO SCUL EAID KPAO ID XF
 
SUBJECT: ENGAGING INDONESIAN YOUTH - NSC RAMAMURTHY 
DISCUSSES CAIRO VISION 
 
1. (SBU) Summary:  NSC Senior Director for Global Engagement Pradeep 
Ramamurthy met with a wide cross-section of Indonesian youth, in 
addition to meetings with government officials and civil society and 
business interlocutors during his January 24-29 visit to Indonesia. 
Ramamurthy shared with audiences President Obama's vision for 
broadened engagement between the United States and Muslim-majority 
countries as articulated in the President's "New Beginnings" speech 
in Cairo and also briefed on the Interfaith Dialogue held January 
25-27 in Jakarta.  Indonesian youth interlocutors warmly welcomed 
President Obama's Cairo vision and expressed appreciation for the 
offer of more comprehensive engagement.  Indonesian youth told 
Ramamurthy they were eager for increased two-way exchange 
opportunities.  Keenly interested in how U.S.-Indonesian relations 
are developing, the students voiced foreign policy concerns ranging 
from the pace of the Middle East peace process, the Iran/nuclear 
issue, and U.S. engagement in Iraq and Afghanistan.  End summary. 
 
Students Seek More Engagement, Especially Two-Way Exchanges 
- - - - - 
 
2. (U) In meetings with a cross-section of Indonesian students -- 
from a pesantren (Islamic boarding school) and a leading university 
(Gadjah Mada at the American Corner) in Yogyakarta to a small 
Islamic university (Prof. Drs. Moestopo Islamic University) and 
leaders of religious youth organizations in Jakarta -- students 
welcomed President Obama's vision for more comprehensive engagement 
with Muslim-majority countries.  Students expressed a strong desire 
for additional two-way exchange opportunities and eagerness for 
increased engagement with Americans via such exchanges.  They said 
they want to improve English language skills and to build mutual 
understanding between the two countries.  They said they were also 
interested in working with Americans on a variety of cooperative 
activities (including in the areas of trade and investment and 
science and technology) as they aspire to help Indonesia become a 
developed country. 
 
Indonesian Culture, Identity and Foreign Policy Concerns 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
 
3. (U) Students expressed strong points of view.  They told 
Ramamurthy that Indonesia was not part of the Arab world.  They also 
advised that Indonesians practice Islam in accordance with their 
culture of tolerance and diversity.  They expressed deep concern 
that the media too often portrays Muslims as terrorists.  They said 
those depictions were hurtful and they want to be part of a 
conversation that corrects those perceptions.  They also noted that 
it is Indonesian youth who drive change. 
 
4. (U) Students were curious about U.S.-Indonesian relations and 
asked Ramamurthy about how the U.S. views Indonesia.  They voiced a 
wide-range of foreign policy concerns, including the pace of the 
Middle East peace process, tensions over the Iran/nuclear issue, and 
U.S. engagement in Iraq and Afghanistan.  They also expressed 
worries about regional issues, including tensions between Indonesia 
and Malaysia and nervousness about Indonesia's ability to compete 
with the entry into force of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement. 
 
5. (SBU) Students at all four events left with a better appreciation 
for the importance of the US-Indonesia bilateral relationship, the 
Administration's emphasis on comprehensive engagement (on 
cultivating partnerships in a broad range of areas like education, 
health, science, and economic opportunity, as well as security), and 
the U.S. government's commitment to listening to and developing 
relationships with people - especially youth.  Ramamurthy also 
helped address concerns and misperceptions about American attitudes 
towards Islam and Islam in America.  At Moestopo, he was aided in 
this by Indonesian students who recently returned from high-school 
exchanges to the United States, which further reinforced the value 
of exchange programs in cultivating mutual understanding. 
 
New Media and Indonesia's Blogger Community 
Are Force for Change 
- - - - - - - - - - - 
 
6. (SBU) A group of Indonesia's leading new media voices, 
representing Indonesia's vibrant blogger community, told Ramamurthy 
new media is a growing force for social change and a new source of 
information, particularly for Indonesian youth.  They highlighted 
their commitment to media freedom and described initiatives launched 
and supported by new media, including campaigns in support of free 
speech and anti-corruption efforts.  The bloggers were appreciative 
of the Embassy's efforts to encourage freedom of expression and to 
support initiatives, such as the annual "Pesta Blogger" national 
gathering in Jakarta and workshops to help train Indonesian 
 
JAKARTA 00000159  002 OF 002 
 
 
bloggers. 
 
7. (U) Mr. Ramamurthy cleared on this message. 
 
OSIUS