Lifting ban on communism to promote democracy

Lifting ban on communism to promote democracy

By Kamaluddin Pane

JAKARTA (JP): President Abdurrahman Wahid's (Gus Dur) proposal
to revoke the Provisional People's Consultative Assembly (MPRS)
Decree No. 25/1966 banning communism has triggered mass
demonstrations by Muslim political groups for the last two
months.

Given the importance of the issue, Gus Dur has clarified on
many occasions why he has proposed revocation of the decree.

The cons argue that Marxism and Leninism are contrary to
religion and that the now defunct Indonesian Communist Party
(PKI) has betrayed the Indonesian nation.

One dilemma of the nation is that during the New Order rule
(1966-1998) there was no democracy. For the New Order, democracy
was the truth defined by the state. There was never a chance for
an objective discussion of history.

Wider latitude to talk about taboo subjects came with the New
Order's collapse in May 1998 -- but not all people can accept
this.

What are the most important issues in the revocation of the
said decree?

First, it has led to violation of human rights through the
discrimination of people accused of having links to the PKI,
including their children and grandchildren.

Such people were not free to obtain jobs. For decades, they
were treated unfairly. Their identity cards, for example, were
marked. They experienced difficulties in their dealings with the
government on all matters.

Second, the revocation of the decree means the start of a new
phase in the life of the Indonesian community, that is the
disclosure of history whose previous formulation was monopolized
by the New Order government.

The Sept. 30, 1965 coup d'etat, allegedly sponsored by the PKI
through the killing of a number of high ranking Military
officers, resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of
Indonesians. Thousands more were imprisoned or exiled without any
judicial process.

Accusations that the PKI committed the coup attempt should
have then been open to debate but there seemed to be no space for
that.

While the initiator of the 1965 coup attempt remained a
mystery, the New Order government was born and developed into a
dictatorship using the Military to maintain power.

For decades the term "communist" was used to justify the
eradication of political opponents by the government. Even the
student movement opposing the New Order government was not
exempted from the accusation.

Third, the revocation of the MPRS decree will mean
appreciation for ideas and thoughts.

Marxism is not an untouchable doctrine. Karl Marx, as an
ordinary man, had ideas on how to surmount the problems of
injustice, the exploitation of man by man.

The reason for the birth of Christian teachings (voiced by
Jesus) and Islam (brought by Prophet Muhammad) was to save man,
to avoid suppression and enslavement.

It is interesting that Gus Dur once said that if people want
to reject the teachings of Marxism and Leninism, it should be
done through education, not the law. It is the citizen's right to
decide to accept or to reject such ideas.

To build a new civilization that is tolerant, democratic and
scientific for the Indonesian community is an essential need. We
cannot build democracy while stifling certain groups.

The disclosure of historical truths is a significant right of
a democratic people. The time has come to uncover the mysteries
that were hidden during decades of New Order rule.

The 1998 suspension of the annual broadcast of the film on the
Sept. 30, 1965 movement, shown during 30 years of Soeharto's
rule, was a move in the right direction because the film only
incites resentment.

Through democracy the problems of a nation can be settled
peacefully. We do not need new forms of hatred in the community.

Will we continue to be part of a group that kills ideas and
thoughts? If so, we should not expect that this nation will be
able to bring progress to its people.

Indeed, when a group of people no longer holds scientific and
democratic principles, it will always be prejudiced against
something it considers wrong. It will not search for and find new
visions. And it will not be important to such a group whether its
action leads to productive attitudes for the development of the
community, or instead will bring the community back to the middle
ages which was anti-science and truth.

Social frictions related to ethnicity, religion, race and
intergroup relations have led to thousands of victims and huge
material losses in past years due to the absence of a culture of
democracy and pluralism.

Are problems solved when violence speaks? Reality shows this
has led to the creation of new hatred and resentment in the
community.

Thus, curbs on thoughts and ideas are unacceptable, especially
if institutionalized through the law. Such curbs will never
educate the community to progress, to civility, and a love for a
scientific and democratic culture.

The writer is a graduate of the State Islamic Institute in
North Sumatra and lives in Jakarta.