ET code removal hailed

JAKARTA (JP): The government's decision to remove the Eks Tahanan-politik (ET) code from the identity cards of former political detainees has gained support from various circles.

Arief Budiman, who used to teach at Satya Wacana Christian University in Salatiga, Central Java, said yesterday that the government's policy to stamp ET on the ID cards of political detainees with previous links to the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) was against the principle of human rights and discriminative.

"I have sympathy for their children because the brand has made it difficult for them to get jobs," he told The Jakarta Post.

He said that at one time he could understand the government's policy, which was originally meant to help security officers monitor the activities and whereabouts of former political detainees.

However, he said, the government should be realistic and immediately remove the codes from all ID cards.

"The sooner the ET code is removed, the better it will be for the former detainees and their children," he said.

The government decision to remove the code, which was introduced in the 1970s, was announced early this week.

Coordinating Minister for Political Affairs and Security Soesilo Soedarman said on Monday that the government would start phasing out the code starting Aug. 18.

The PKI was outlawed in 1966 following its abortive coup attempt in October 1965. Many of its members and supporters were rounded up subsequently and sentenced to hard labor on Buru Island in Maluku. They were released under a general amnesty in the late 1970s.

Armed Forces (ABRI) Commander Feisal Tanjung said after briefing garrison officers in Ujungpandang, South Sulawesi, on Tuesday that the armed forces had no problem with the government's decision as it already has a list and other means to monitor their activities.

"The monitoring job will be done by security officers, local administrations and the people," he added.

Gen. (ret.) Rudini, chairman of the Institute for Strategic Studies of Indonesia, also supports the government's decision.

"The ET code removal is acceptable as the former political detainees will have no courage to revive communism anymore," he said, adding that communism was no longer welcome in Indonesia.

DPR

Chairman of the Armed Forces faction at the House of Representatives (DPR) Abu Hartono said the policy will restore the rights of the former detainees and their family members to participate in general elections and to enroll at military academies.

Abu warned, however, that the people have to remain on alert and be wary of the possible reemergence of communism in Indonesia.

Djupri, deputy chairman of DPR's Commission III from the Indonesian Democratic Party faction, said the new policy also should be implemented in line with the restoration of the detainees' civic rights.

Oka Mahendra, a legislator from the Golkar faction, said the policy will eliminate the former detainees' psychological barriers to participating in social activities.

Meanwhile, Soetandyo Wignjosoebroto, a member of the National Commission on Human Rights, said the newly-announced policy proves that the human rights condition in Indonesia has been improving. (har/imn)