Keep Us Strong WikiLeaks logo

Currently released so far... 51122 / 251,287

Articles

Browse latest releases

Browse by creation date

Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Browse by classification

Community resources

courage is contagious

Viewing cable 07SURABAYA71, EAST JAVA NAHDLATUL ULEMA CONFERENCE: POLITICS, RELIGION,

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs

Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
  • The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
  • The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
  • The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.

Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #07SURABAYA71.
Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
07SURABAYA71 2007-11-08 11:16 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Consulate Surabaya
VZCZCXRO1329
RR RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHJS #0071/01 3121116
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 081116Z NOV 07
FM AMCONSUL SURABAYA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0103
INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON 0039
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHINGTON DC
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 0041
RUEHJS/AMCONSUL SURABAYA 0105
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 SURABAYA 000071 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS 
NSC FOR E.PHU 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV KISL PHUM SOCI ID
SUBJECT: EAST JAVA NAHDLATUL ULEMA CONFERENCE: POLITICS,  RELIGION, 
AND AMBITION 
 
REF: A. JAKARTA 03070 (POLITICAL ISLAM) 
 
     B. SURABAYA 65 (EAST JAVA'S CHINESE MUSLIMS) 
 
SURABAYA 00000071  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
This message is sensitive but unclassified.  Please protect 
accordingly. 
 
1. (SBU) Summary: The East Java Nahdlatul Ulema (NU) Conference 
selected Ali Maschan Moesa as the Chairman of the NU Tanfidziyah 
Council on November 4.  Ali Maschan's election did nothing to 
dampen speculation that he would soon announce his candidacy in 
the 2008 East Java Governor's race.  Ali Maschan has stated 
publicly that he would prefer to serve as NU's National 
Chairman, rather than as East Java's Vice Governor.  Disavowals 
of interest and prohibitions against NU officials seeking public 
office aside, Ali Maschan would make a powerful running mate for 
Golkar's gubernatorial candidate Soenarjo given NU's popularity 
in East Java.  Meanwhile, East Java's NU continues to debate how 
to balance its role in religious life and politics.  End Summary. 
 
2. (SBU) A host of influence political and civic leaders 
attended the early November East Java NU conference, which took 
place in Peseantrn Zaenul Hasan, in Genggonh, Probolinggo. 
Approximately 4,000 NU followers, including the Minister for 
Information and Communication, the Minister of Trade, the 
Minister of Religion, former President Gus Dur, the Governor of 
East Java Imam Oetomo, the National Chairman of NU Hasyim 
Muzadi, the Bupatis of Probolinggo and Sidoarjo, and the Vice 
Mayor of Surabaya, attended the gathering.  While NU Chairman 
Hasyim Muzadi urged the conference to focus on internal issues 
and improving the lives of the people, the conference and the 
media coverage it generated were dominated by politics (Ref A). 
 
POLITICAL INVOLVEMENT? 
-------------------------------------- 
 
3. (SBU) As described by local observers, East Java's NU 
leadership divides into two camps: some Kiais (an informal title 
within the NU community bestowed in recognition of an 
individual's knowledge and standing in society) strictly hold to 
"Khittah 1926," which prohibits NU from involvement in politics. 
 Other Kiais believe that NU leaders need to be involved in 
politics because only with political power and authority can NU 
advance the peoples' welfare and support the struggle for the 
peoples' rights.  Drawing on a local example, these Kiais ask 
how NU can help the people affected by the Lapindo mud flow 
disaster if NU leaders are not involved in politics.  They add 
that many NU Kiais have been involved in politics throughout 
history. 
 
4. (SBU) All candidates for chairman of East Java NU signed a 
"Jamiyah" contract, which stated they would not become 
indirectly or directly involved in politics, including running 
in local elections, if elected NU chairman.  On November 4, the 
conference elected Ali Maschan Moesa as Chairman of the East 
Java NU Tanfidziyah Council (executive body) and Kiai Miftahul 
Akhyar, leader of Pesantren Miftachussunnah in Surabaya, as the 
Chairman of Rois Syuriah (law-making body) for the 2007-2012 
term.  This was the first-ever election of the Rois Syuriah 
chairman; traditionally changing only on the death of the 
incumbent. 
 
POLITICAL AMBITIONS 
-------------------------------- 
 
5. (SBU) Speculation about Ali Maschan's political ambitions 
intensified after the conference.  Most observers dismiss 
suggestions that the Jamiyah contract prohibited Ali Maschan 
from seeking public office -- he would just need to suspend his 
NU duties during the campaign period.  A November 6 Jawa Pos 
editorial suggested that Ali Maschan was trying to increase his 
bargaining power by accepting the chairmanship position and 
simultaneously refusing to rule out joining Soenarjo's 
gubernatorial campaign.  Farhan Effendy, a journalist from Surya 
Daily, wrote November 6 that Ali Maschan should resign his 
position as East Java NU Chair and run for Vice Governor. 
Recognizing the importance of having a senior NU official on the 
ticket, Golkar gubernatorial candidate Soenarjo reportedly 
approached Khofifah Indar Parawansa, former Minister of Women's 
Empowerment and current Chairwoman of Muslimat NU (the NU 
women's organization), about joining the ticket should Ali 
Maschan ultimately decline his offer. 
 
6. (SBU) M. Asfar, a political observer from Airlangga 
University and director of the Democracy and Human Rights Study 
Center (PUSDEHAM) told Consulate General Surabaya that Ali 
 
SURABAYA 00000071  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
Maschan's decision to accept the chairmanship position was very 
strategic.  Should he decide to be Soenarjo's running mate, as 
the East Java NU Chairman, he would select his successor from 
among those who supported his vision of NU and its role in 
society.  Asfar speculated that Ali Maschan would select Kiai 
Mutawakkil Allah, leader of Pesantren Zaenul Hasan (host of the 
conference), to be the next chairman.  He added that this would 
explain why Kiai Mutawakkil refused all suggestions to challenge 
Ali Maschan in this year's election. 
 
7. (SBU) Ali Maschan Moesa has made no secret of his interest in 
high office, either in politics or within NU (Ref B).  He has 
long said that he would prefer to serve as the National Chairman 
of NU rather than East Java Vice Governor.  Asfar told us that 
Ali Maschan's chances of succeeding to the position of National 
NU Chairman were limited because he did not currently have the 
support of either the current National Chairman Hasyim Muzadi or 
Gus Dur.  Asfar concluded that Hasyim Muzadi planned to run for 
a third term as National NU Chairman himself.  Asfar suggested 
that Ali Maschan will decide that joining Soenarjo in the 
governor's mansion will best position him to replace Hasyim 
Muzadi. 
 
BIO NOTE 
------------- 
 
8. (SBU) Bio Note: Dr. Ali Maschan Moesa was born in 
Tulungagung, East Java, in 1956.  He replaced Kiai Hasyim Muzadi 
(current NU National Chairman) as Chairman of the East Java NU 
in December 1999, after serving as Hasyim Muzadi's deputy.  Ali 
Maschan completed his Masters and PhD degrees at Airlangga 
University, and is a senior lecturer at IAIN Surabaya.  Hi wrote 
his PhD on the role of Kiai in religion and politics.  In his 
dissertation, Ali Maschan broke kiai into three categories: 
"Fundamentalist Clerics," "Moderate Clerics," and "Pragmatic 
Clerics." He is a leading figure in the Surabaya interfaith 
forum and is considered a campaigner for "moderate Islam."  Ali 
Maschan participated in an International Visitor Program in 
2001.  He speaks some English, but prefers to speak in 
Indonesian. 
MCCLELLAND