Ambaranie Nadia Kemala Movanita, Jakarta – Setara Institute for Democracy and Peace chairperson Hendardi believes that efforts to uncover the history of the 1965 affair are often used as an excuse by certain parties to blow up the issue of an alleged revival of the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI).
A not insignificant section of the public is influenced by this issue and strongly opposes it. One example is the clash that occurred in front of the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) offices in Central Jakarta on the evening of Sunday September 17.
“The public must be aware of and understand that the issue of the revival of the PKI is [being used] as a way to divide people and create disunity and only benefits the parties that are driving it”, said Hendardi in a press release on Monday September 18.
Hendardi said that the incident at the YLBHI offices clearly shows that the mob that attacked the office were the same intolerant groups that have long been spreading terror against public security and order.
The National Police, he said, must be aware that these acts of persecution represent a movement by design directed at political goals and to create political instability.
In de jure terms, communist ideas have been prohibited from developing. In de facto terms, said Hendardi, this movement is not real. “Thus the revival of the PKI is an illusion but it continues to be capitalised on as a tool of political subjugation”, said Hendardi.
Hendardi is convinced that there are intellectual actors controlling them and because of this therefore, the police should not stop with just arresting a few actors on the ground. “But they must find the intellectual actors behind the incident”, said Hendardi.
Metro Jaya regional police chief Inspector General Idham Aziz earlier said that the mob that attacked the YLBHI were provoked by hoax information. Hendardi is also calling on the police to find the mastermind that spread this hoax information.
“Clearly indications of the involvement of individuals or organisations can be investigated from the hoax [news] that has long been produced and disseminated, which in essence are aimed at weakening the leadership of Jokowi [President Joko Widodo]”, said Hendardi.
“The national police also cannot again be allowed to compromise with groups that claim to be anti-PKI who have been committing widespread acts of persecution over the last three years”, he added.
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was Setara: Isu PKI Digunakan Untuk Memecahbelah dan Untungkan Pihak Tertentu.]
