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Govt's half-hearted response to 1965 tragedy

Jakarta Post - May 19, 2016

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Haeril Halim – Despite an earlier vow for a conciliatory solution to end the controversy regarding the 1965 communist purge by the end of this year, the government has made it clear that no state apology as well as no acknowledgement of state involvement in the massacres would be made.

The government's stance was a response to recommendations from a formulating team of the National Symposium on the 1965 Tragedy on Wednesday, which encouraged the government to provide a non-judicial solution as part of its reconciliation with victims of violence that had occurred during the darkest period of the country's history, between 1965 and 1966.

Part of the recommendations also suggested that the government clear the names of fallen victims during the tragedy as part of the reconciliation process to reveal the truth about the events.

Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Luhut Pandjaitan said the government had yet to make up its mind on whether to agree with the recommendations but he acknowledged that a solution to the matter would likely be along the same lines.

"It [the reconciliation] is the end goal. As for issuing a state apology [and acknowledging state involvement in the tragedy], I think that is far from what will happen," Luhut told reporters at his office after meeting with National Symposium team chairman Agus Widjojo.

Luhut did not outline details of how the government would carry out the reconciliation process as he would have to meet again with the team on Friday to discuss further about the submitted recommendations.

Luhut said the government would also consider restoring the reputations of the hundreds of thousands of innocent people killed, allegedly by the army, during the tragedy, due to their links to the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI), but also added that it would be fair to also do the same for those killed by the PKI.

He further said the government was committed to solve the 1965 case by the end of this year so that future generations would not have to carry the "burden of the past".

The government has received data of 122 mass graves where victims of the 1965 tragedy were buried, and the government has asked help from the Indonesian Army to confirm the numbers in the field.

Luhut went on that the government would not establish a truth and reconciliation commission as voiced by right activists and outlined within the National Symposium team's recommendations. The government also said it would stand by the 1966 decree of the People's Consultative Assembly on the disbandment of communism in Indonesia, regardless of how the reconciliation process proceeded.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/05/19/govt-s-half-hearted-response-1965-tragedy.html.