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Viewing cable 08SURABAYA11, SOUTH SULAWESI: IRANIAN PUBLIC DIPLOMACY, REACHING OUT ONE

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
08SURABAYA11 2008-01-29 01:57 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Consulate Surabaya
VZCZCXRO3394
RR RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHJS #0011 0290157
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 290157Z JAN 08
FM AMCONSUL SURABAYA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0145
INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 0069
RUEHDT/AMEMBASSY DILI 0008
RUEHJA/AMEMBASSY JAKARTA 0133
RUEHPB/AMEMBASSY PORT MORESBY 0017
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 0021
RHHMUNA/USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON 0067
RUEHJS/AMCONSUL SURABAYA 0150
UNCLAS SURABAYA 000011 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, INR/EAP, DRL, EAP/PD 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL KIRF KISL IR ID PGOV KPAO
SUBJECT: SOUTH SULAWESI: IRANIAN PUBLIC DIPLOMACY, REACHING OUT ONE 
"IRANIAN CORNER" AT A TIME 
 
REF: 07 JAKARTA 2556 
 
This Message is Sensitive But Unclassified.  Please Protect 
Accordingly. 
 
This message was coordinated with Embassy Jakarta. 
 
1. (SBU) Summary: The Iranian Embassy in Jakarta increased its 
public diplomacy efforts in Indonesia by establishing five 
"Iranian Corners" in 2007.  The first Iranian Corner outside 
West Java was established at Hassanudin University in Makassar, 
South Sulawesi, in November, reaching out to students both 
though language courses and discussions of Islam.  Whether 
Iranian Corners will build positive attitudes about Iran more 
broadly among university-educated Indonesians remains to be 
seen.  If Shia theology is to be the cornerstone of their 
outreach efforts, Iranian diplomats must somehow overcome the 
underlying suspicions and even physical hostility shown by some 
of Indonesia's primarily Sunni Muslims toward minority Shiite 
communities.  End Summary. 
 
2. (SBU) Surabaya's Pol/Econ officer took advantage of a trip to 
Sulawesi to visit the Iranian Corner at Makassar's Hassanudin 
University, which also houses an American Corner.  The 
Indonesian Director of the Iranian Corner, Mr. Supratman 
provided a short tour and discussed the corner's objectives 
during the January 17 visit.  The Iranian Ambassador to 
Indonesia formally opened the corner on the first floor of the 
University Library on November 28, 2007.  Primarily a lending 
library with books in Farsi, Indonesian, Arabic and English, the 
vast majority of the roughly 4000 volume collection is in Farsi, 
with multiple copies of books on Islam stocking the shelves. 
The Iranian Embassy provides the materials and funds Supratman's 
position. 
 
3.  (SBU) The overabundance of religious texts at Makassar's 
Iranian Corner seems intended to recuperate the reputation of 
Shia Islam among a population that -- at least at the local 
level -- has proved deeply skeptical and, on occasion, violent. 
In 2006 and 2007, local Sunni populations in Madura and East 
Java launched violent protests against the presence of 
Indonesian Shiites in their community (reftel).  When asked 
about the potential for Iranian Corners to serve as a resource 
for Indonesia's Shia community, Supratman stressed that 
Hassanudin's Corner serves the general student population, 
whatever their faith. He admitted that there is tension between 
the Shia minority and the Sunni majority and said that average 
Indonesians are inclined to lump Indonesian Shiites together 
with Ahmadiyah and other so-called "heretical" Islamic sects. 
 
4.  (SBU) Despite the heavy representation of religious texts 
(and a portrait of Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei 
looking down on the main reading area), Supratman said that 
religion is not what the Corner is about; "We avoid talking 
about ideology and preaching to the students here. We discuss 
science."  For the thirty-odd students who reportedly browse the 
Corner's collection every day, language classes in English, 
French and Farsi are also key attractions, "because language is 
the key to understanding the sciences," he explained.  Supratman 
said he earned an M.A. in Persian literature in Iran and teaches 
Farsi language and literature.  Many of his students wish to 
study in Iran and he works closely with the Cultural Office at 
the Iranian Embassy in Jakarta to assist in placing them in 
appropriate universities. 
 
MCCLELLAND