The virtue of forgiveness<\/p>\n
A wise elderly citizen has reminded the nation that it should
\nspare a thought for the fate of the former members of the banned
\nIndonesian Communist Party (PKI) who, despite being released some
\n17 years ago from various detention camps, have yet to be treated
\nlike other members of society.<\/p>\n
The former communist activists, who are known here as \"ex-
\ntapol\" (ex-political detainees), number more than 10,000. To this
\nday they continue to bear the heavy burden of state
\ndiscrimination: their ID cards bear a special mark identifying
\nthem as former political detainees.<\/p>\n
Roeslan Abdulgani, a former ideological adviser of President
\nSoeharto, said recently that the government should declare a
\ngeneral amnesty for these people, since many of them have entered
\nold age. His idea has received approval from various circles,
\nincluding the Legal Aid Institute and the National Commission on
\nHuman Rights.<\/p>\n
The authorities, however, in particular the security forces,
\nseem to have their own reasons for leaving the status of former
\ncommunists as it is. It is not known how many more years this
\nsituation will continue. Many of the former political detainees
\nare now in frail health and it may be for this reason that some
\npeople have voiced concern that former communists may die as \"ex-
\ntapol\", which would mean that they would have to bear the badge
\nof eternal sin even in their graves.<\/p>\n
This will, of course, give the impression that ours is a
\nvengeful nation which has not learned to forgive its own members.
\nIt may be true that before the 1965 coup the \"ex-tapol\" were
\nactive in anti-state activities which almost plunged this nation
\ninto an abyss, and that in their ideological arrogance they
\nsucceeded in intimidating the anti-communist majority. However,
\nwe should not forget that many of them, especially those who were
\nplaced in the so-called \"B\" category -- most of whom were said to
\nhave had prior knowledge of the planned communist coup attempt in
\nOctober 1965 -- were never brought to trial for lack of evidence.<\/p>\n
This has left a dark spot on our history because ever since
\nindependence this nation had declared that it respected the rule
\nof law. But not only were those people denied a fair trial, they
\nwere also exiled to an island detention camp called Buru, where
\nthey were imprisoned for many years.<\/p>\n
Now, although they have been allowed back into society for
\nalmost two decades, they still have to bear the trademark of
\ntheir past sins on their ID cards. At the same time, certain
\ngroups have even, on occasion, used the threat of communism for
\ntheir own political ends.<\/p>\n
Roeslan's idea is relevant to our situation and it is timely.
\nThis week most Indonesians are still celebrating Idul Fitri. One
\nof the virtues most emphasized at Idul Fitri is that of
\nforgiveness and reconciliation. If God, the creator of heaven and
\nhell, is always ready to pardon human beings who repent, then why
\nnot we, too, as nation which respects religious teachings?<\/p>\n
In August Indonesians will celebrate the 50th anniversary of
\nthis Republic. The time seems to have come for us to ask
\nourselves: Should we continue to deny these brothers and sisters
\nforgiveness and therefore carry them, with all their unforgiven
\nsins, into the next half-century of this Republic's history.<\/p>\n
It seems unnecessary, because the success of our national
\ndevelopment efforts over the last three decades has made us
\nstrong enough mentally, socially and economically to face those
\nformer detainees, many of whom are now too old, anyway, to pose
\nany threat to us. This nation has a solid spirit of self-
\nconfidence.<\/p>\n
We would do well to remember the words of President Soeharto
\nin his state-of-the-nation address in Aug. 1976, when he said
\nthat, whatever the sins committed by the \"ex-tapol\", they were
\nstill members of the Indonesian family and \"we should accept them
\nback into our society.\"<\/p>\n
The President's words seem to provide good food for thought
\nfor the government in the months leading up to the 50th
\nanniversary of our existence as a free nation.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/the-virtue-of-forgiveness-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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