Gus Dur holds firm on lifting communist ban<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): President Abdurrahman Wahid repeated his demand
\non Friday that the ban on communism and Marxism be lifted on the
\ngrounds that it had often been abused to suppress people's
\npolitical rights.<\/p>\n
Speaking in a dialog after Friday prayers at the Al Munawaroh
\nMosque near his residence in Ciganjur, South Jakarta, the
\nPresident said he was firm in his opinion that the Provisional
\nPeople's Consultative Assembly (MPRS) decree No. 25, issued in
\n1966, should be revoked, because it mixed up political rights
\nwith legal rights.<\/p>\n
\"I ask for the cancellation of the decree, not because of its
\npolitical stance, but to prevent us from violating other people's
\nlegal rights just because we are upset with them. This is not the
\nway a Muslim behaves,\" said the President.<\/p>\n
The decree was the legal basis to dissolve the Indonesian
\nCommunist Party (PKI), which was accused of masterminding an
\nabortive coup in 1965.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman sparked an uproar last month when he gave the
\ngreen light to an investigation into the coup attempt, which was
\nfollowed by the massacre of hundreds of thousands of alleged
\ncommunists and their sympathizers.<\/p>\n
The President said many of the victims were innocent and
\nexecuted without trial. He said it was very unjust that the
\nchildren of former PKI members should suffer for their parents'
\nactions.<\/p>\n
Educating people about the threat of communism, instead of
\nconducting unlawful and inhumane practices, is the best way to
\nprevent the spread of communism, he said.<\/p>\n
The President said the 1945 Constitution itself says nothing
\nabout a ban on communism.<\/p>\n
\"The decree was merely endorsed by someone who was afraid of
\nbeing branded as a PKI person,\" said the President.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Palace officials announced on Friday the President
\nwould undergo routine medical treatment at the Gatot Subroto Army
\nHospital on Saturday.<\/p>\n
\"This medical checkup is a follow up to his previous health
\nexaminations,\" the Palace statement said. (prb)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/gus-dur-holds-firm-on-lifting-communist-ban-1447893297",
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