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 08SURABAYA6, EAST JAVA MUDFLOW UPDATE: RAINS THREATEN DAMS, YET CLEAR

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. #08SURABAYA6.
Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
08SURABAYA6 2008-01-16 04:48 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Consulate Surabaya
VZCZCXRO3088
RR RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHJS #0006 0160448
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 160448Z JAN 08
FM AMCONSUL SURABAYA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0140
INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 0064
RUEHDT/AMEMBASSY DILI 0007
RUEHCAA/GEOLOGICAL SURVEY DEPT OF INTERIOR WASHINGTON DC
RUEHJA/AMEMBASSY JAKARTA 0126
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 0020
RHHMUNA/USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON 0062
RUEHJS/AMCONSUL SURABAYA 0143
UNCLAS SURABAYA 000006 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, INR/EAP, EB/ESC/IEC 
DOE FOR CUTLER/PI-32 AND NAKANO/PI-42 
COMMERCE FOR USDOC 4430 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON EPET ENRG PGOV ASEC ID
SUBJECT: EAST JAVA MUDFLOW UPDATE:  RAINS THREATEN DAMS, YET CLEAR 
THE RIVER; KAPOLDA PUTS CRIMINAL CASE ON HOLD 
 
 
This message is sensitive but unclassified.  Please protect 
accordingly. 
 
1.  The same monsoon rains that weakened and broke a dam at the 
Sidoarjo mud flow site January 3 have paradoxically improved the 
flow of the Porong river, clearing it of sedimentation. 
Sidoarjo Mud Management Agency (BPLS) Deputy of Operations, Mr. 
Soffian Hadi told ConGen Surabaya that there is no longer excess 
mud sedimentation in the Porong River.  Soffian added that 
previous mud sedimentation had reduced the flow rate of the 
Porong to only 400 meters cubic per second.  Rain increased the 
flow to 939 cubic meters per second in December and (as of this 
week) to 1,600 cubic meters per second-- its normal rate of 
flow.  BPLS spokesman Zulkharin told reporters that the 
increased flow rate is damaging the levee that contains the 
Porong, requiring the BPLS to make repairs. 
 
2.  Sedimentation of the Porong was most severe during the dry 
season (May-October).  With no rain and a lack of upstream 
pressure, mud quickly precipitated to the river bottom.  This 
caused concern regarding the ability of the river to clear the 
mud poured into it in sufficient quantity to prevent flooding 
inhabited areas along the river.  Currently, as the mud flows 
out of the ground, it is combined with river water in a holding 
lagoon; the mix is then pumped into the Porong on its way to the 
sea.  On January 10, BPLS used all its available pumps to 
channel the mud into Porong River and the river successfully 
handled the flow.   Currently, the mud flows out of the 
epicenter at roughly 1.2 cubic meters per second, while the 
total capacity of three pumps is 3.6 cubic meter per second. 
BPLS plans to install 15 new pumps to further increase the 
capacity of the spill way. 
 
3.  Use of the river as a means of moving the mud continues to 
be controversial with the local population.  Consequently, some 
200 officers from the East Java Police will help BPLS protect 
the worksite in order to prevent any interference with 
installation of the pumps, according to Soffian.  Protests have 
affected other efforts at the site (reftel).  Local media report 
that the main detour around the mud flow site continues to be 
plagued with flooding due to almost daily heavy seasonal rains. 
On January 10, the height of flood waters around Siring Village, 
north of the mudflow containment reached 40 centimeters causing 
serious traffic congestion.  The height of floodwaters around 
the railway tracks that border one side of the mud containment 
reached 37 centimeters on the same day.  However, despite 
flooding and frequent traffic stoppages, this key route around 
the mud containment remains open. 
 
Police Put Criminal Case on Hold 
------------------------------------------ 
 
4.  The January 8-14 edition of Tempo magazine reported that 
East Java's Regional Police Chief Inspector General Herman 
Surjadi Sumawiredja (Kapolda) had announced to journalists in 
late December 2007 that he had decided "to park" the case 
against the Lapindo company "for the good of the public." 
Although the police still believe that the mudflow was caused by 
human error and negligence on the part of Lapindo, the Kapolda 
claimed that putting pressure on Lapindo could jeopardize 
compensation to the victims.  The police are also concerned that 
conflicting expert testimony about the cause of the disaster and 
recent court decisions denying charges brought by the Indonesian 
Legal Aid Foundation and the Indonesian Forum for the 
Environment raised questions about their ability to secure a 
conviction. 
 
COMMENT: 
----------------- 
 
5. The conversation in East Java has shifted from how to stop 
the mudflow to how to mitigate its impact.  Like the mudflow 
itself, this disaster has hit Indonesia along a series of weak 
spots: political leadership, legal protections, weak 
infrastructure, and corruption.  Given the complexity of the 
task, implementation of a successful long-term mitigation effort 
will require leaders who can get beyond the political 
maneuvering to address the problems head on.  We look forward to 
reading the USGS report based on the recent visit to Sidoarjo. 
 
MCCLELLAND