Chronology of 1966's crucial events
Chronology of 1966's crucial events
JAKARTA (JP): The year 1966 was very crucial in the history of Indonesia. Things unfolded in a way that amazed even people like Widjojo Nitisastro.
Looking back, there are plenty of reasons why many people considered Indonesia a miracle, especially after Gunnar Myrdal stated in early 1960s that Indonesia was a lost cause.
For example, only three months after the Sept. 30, 1965, abortive coup of the now-banned Indonesian Communist Party (PKI), a group of students of the School of Economics at the University of Indonesia organized a seminar on Jan. 10 to discuss the state of the nation's economy.
"Only three months..," Widjojo said, shaking his head in astonishment.
The seminar was followed by a second symposium, during which Subroto attacked Sukarno's Guided Democracy.
"It is time," said Subroto, "for Parliament to approve the government budget before the fiscal year begins; to use government funds to rehabilitate the economy instead of spending funds on helicopters, airplanes, and other luxuries, and to expend every effort to bring into balance the entire array of monetary and fiscal policy, foreign trade, prices, the salaries of civil servants, and production."
The following is the chronology of events in 1966 that would lead to the country's political and economic rebuilding:
* January : Seminar on the state of the economy organized by the Indonesian Students Action Front of the School of Economics, University of Indonesia.
* April : Adam Malik went to New York to announce that Indonesia would resume its seat in the United Nations General Assembly.
* May: A symposium was held at the University of Indonesia to which the entire cabinet was invited. Sponsored by the university's rector and deans, as well as the national Indonesian Students Action Front, it discussed a wider range of issues: Economic, political, social and cultural problems. Also in May, Adam Malik met in Bangkok with Tun Abdul Razak of Malaysia and announced that Indonesia's "confrontation" would be brought to an end.
* June: The Provisional People's Consultative Assembly met for the first time since the political crisis began nine months earlier. The Assembly confirmed Soeharto's position as chief executive and supported his outlawing of the Communist party. The Assembly further instructed Sukarno and Soeharto to jointly form a new government, the main objectives of which were to be political stabilization, economic rehabilitation, preservation of an independent foreign policy and preparations for general elections.
* July: The Provisional People's Consultative Assembly (MPRS) issued Decision No. 23 outlining the foundations for the new economic, financial and development policies.
* August: The Second Army seminar organized by the Staff and Command School (Seskoad) was held in Bandung.
* September: Indonesian representatives met with the country's major creditors in Tokyo. Seven creditor nations were represented, the United States, Japan, Britain, France, West Germany, Italy and the Netherlands. During the Tokyo meeting, the Indonesian government explained its economic conditions and its plans for reform. The meeting agreed to reschedule Indonesia's debts.
* October: Soeharto announced a sweeping program of economic policy reforms to decontrol the economy. The decision was later adopted as a decision of the Provisional People's Consultative Assembly (MPRS). Among other things, it eliminated the existing system of multiple exchange rates and import-export licensing controls from a large portion of the country's international trade.
* December: Indonesian representatives once again met with representatives from the creditor nations in Paris. This encounter came to be known as the Paris Club meeting. This was a milestone meeting as the creditors agreed to a moratorium, into 1971, on payments of interest and on principal long-term Indonesian debts incurred before June 1966. The Paris meeting laid the foundation for the establishment of the Inter- Governmental Group on Indonesia (IGGI). (lem/rlt)