CONTINUED ECHOES OF "THE YEAR OF LIVING

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 002136 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS NSC FOR EPHU E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/18/2018 TAGS: PGOV SOCI KDEM KISL ID SUBJECT: CONTINUED ECHOES OF "THE YEAR OF LIVING DANGEROUSLY" REF: 07 JAKARTA 2923 JAKARTA 00002136 001.2 OF 002 Classified By: Pol/C Joseph L. Novak, reasons 1.4(b+d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: The 1965-66 killings of alleged communists continue to touch nerves in Indonesia decades later. Local media recently published articles recounting gruesome details of the killings and regurgitated claims of a USG link. Moreover, in a controversial move, police in central Java recently stopped production of a film that deals with events from that timeframe. ¶2. (C) SUMMARY (Con'd): Responding to societal interest in what happened, Indonesia's independent human rights commission is moving forward with its own investigation. The hallmark of the effort remains transparency and societal reconciliation. Over all, the debate is refreshing, though the topic is still a sensitive one for Indonesians. END SUMMARY. FOCUS ON 1965-66 ¶3. (SBU) Considerable attention has surfaced recently in Indonesia about the events of 1965-66. (Note: In response to an apparent leftist coup in late 1965, the military seized power. In the process, anywhere from 80,000 to one million alleged communists and others were reportedly killed--see reftel.) An Associated Press (AP) story dated November 16 and widely reprinted in various forms in Bahasa Indonesia and English language newspapers reviewed the events of that period. The article included first-hand, graphic descriptions of the killings of accused communists by four Muslim militia members allegedly working closely with the Indonesian military. ¶4. (SBU) The article also alleges that USG-released documents show that the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta passed the names of dozens of alleged communists to the Indonesian military. The military allegedly used this information to track down and kill suspects. (Note: These allegations are regurgitated and are unproven. EAP press guidance notes the key resource documents that have been declassified by the USG and urges a historical examination of them.) ¶5. (C) The articles have prompted discussion in Indonesia. One member of Parliament told us that he had never seen claims that "were quite so detailed" about the apparent massacres. He told us that the press pieces "are good for the growing debate about what happened." STILL A SENSITIVE TOPIC ¶6. (SBU) The events of that timeframe remain controversial. Hardline Muslims from central Java--one of the centers of the violence in 1965--recently forced the director of a film on the events of 1965 to stop filming. The production of "Lastri: The Voice of a Woman Victim of 1965" was temporarily halted by police in the city of Surakarta (Solo) because of "security concerns." "The issue is still sensitive for the people of Surakarta, so they protested," the local police chief commented to the press. He admitted that "the police usually have no right to stop filming, but we are responsible for maintaining security, too." ¶7. (C) The protesters accused the director of the movie of "promoting communism." Djarot, an Indonesian national, is upset but understands the continued tensions over the matter. Djarot told Pol FSN that "government officials incorrectly believe the film promotes communist ideology and distorts the image of the Indonesian military." An Indonesian law from 1966 that effectively bans the Communist party and prohibits the promotion of Communist ideology remains in effect. Djarot said. He has stopped production in Surakarta and is looking JAKARTA 00002136 002.2 OF 002 for alternative locations in Indonesia to shoot the rest of the film. He said he had not been personally threatened. ¶8. (U) In the meantime, a small group of demonstrators continue their near daily vigil outside of the presidential palace in Jakarta. The small group demands that the GOI provide more information about presumed victims of the violence and work closely with victim's families. HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION REVIEWS CASES ¶9. (C) Indonesia's independent human rights commission is moving forward with its own investigation. Responding to requests, Komnas HAM (the acronym by which the group goes by) has been looking into the cases of those missing from 1965-66. Komnas HAM has also advocated for the rights of relatives of political prisoners during the Suharto period who had been accused of communist links. The hallmark of the Komnas HAM effort remains transparency and societal reconciliation. ¶10. (C) Human rights NGO's are also involved. Poloff spoke to human rights activist, Indria Fernida. Fernida is part of the Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence (Kontras) and travels throughout Indonesian documenting witness testimony and identifying massacre sites. Kontras also works with other NGOs in trying to document what happened. At times, Islamic groups impede these efforts. A REFRESHING DEBATE ¶11. (C) Over all, 1965-66 is still a sensitive matter for Indonesians. That said, as reviewed in reftel, more and more Indonesians are willing to discuss the once taboo topic, and that is refreshing and cathartic for the country and its new democracy. As touched on, the discussion among human rights advocates is focused on transparency and societal reconciliation. Given the complexities and continued debate over what happened plus the time that has elapsed, no one is pushing for accountability. HUME