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Viewing cable 07JAKARTA3211, INDONESIA WINS INTERNATIONAL DEMOCRACY AWARD

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
07JAKARTA3211 2007-11-20 07:13 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED Embassy Jakarta
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