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