Govt told to change policy on ex-PKI cadres

Govt told to change policy on ex-PKI cadres

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Constitutional Court's decision to reinstate the
constitutional rights of former communist members and their
families members has sparked calls for an end to all
discrimination against them.

"It is high time for us to eliminate all forms of
discrimination against former members of the Indonesian Communist
Party (PKI) and their family members," historian Aswi Marwan Adam
of the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) said on Wednesday.

Aswi was particularly referring to the right to work in
government institutions and the Indonesian military (TNI).

Payung Salenda, a former communist member who was exiled for
10 years on Buru Island, welcomed the court decision but called
for an end to all forms of discrimination.

"I welcome the ruling but the government must put an end to
all discrimination we experience in our life. Only then will our
country be able to reconcile," Payung said.

Payung, 79, complained that his identification (ID) card still
bore mark E.T., which stands for ex tapol, meaning a former
political detainee implicated in the 1965 abortive coup.

The government had in fact scrapped the code from ID cards in
1995 but, according to Payung, a father of four, district
officers refused to remove the E.T. code from his ID card.

"I am also denied a lifetime ID card although I am already
79," he said, referring to the ID card granted to citizens above
60 years of age.

The former staff member of the office of the prime minister's
office was dismissed in 1969 and exiled for 10 years without
trial.

Until 1995, ID cards of his wife and his four children also
bore certain codes indicating their relationship with a former
PKI member.

"I could not get a job after I served time. My children had no
guts to dream of becoming civil servants or military members,"
said Payung, who opened a kiosk to make ends meet.

Ribka Tjiptaning Proletariyati, a daughter of a former PKI
member, said the government still discriminated against her.

"I couldn't set up a clinic of my own simply because I am a
daughter of a PKI member," said Ribka, known for her
controversial book titled Aku Bangga Sebagai Anak PKI (I'm proud
to be a daughter of PKI).

The newly established Constitutional Court issued a historic
verdict allowing former PKI members to contest in the legislative
election on Tuesday, more than three decades after their
constitutional rights were removed.

Historian Aswi said on Wednesday the government must be able
to follow up the "symbolic message" from the Constitutional
Court.

"This is the right time for the government to eliminate all
discriminatory rulings against former PKI members and their
families," he said.

Indonesian Military (TNI) chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto also
acknowledged the decision, but expressed the hope that former PKI
members would no longer spread communism in the country.

"I'm also surprised (by the ruling) but it's already done. So
let's hope that they will not spread (communism)," Endriartono
told a hearing with the House of Representatives Commission I for
foreign, security and political affairs on Wednesday.

Chairman of Nahdlatul Ulama Hasyim Muzadi expressed a similar
view, saying every citizen should have equal rights.

"The Sept. 30, 1965 incident is already a part of history, and
it's time for us to forgive one another. The restoration of
former PKI members' rights will not be a threat to our country,"
said Hasyim.