Red threat

Red threat

From Suara Karya

Among the interesting rumors which emerged recently concerned the revocation of the stipulation of the Provisional People's Consultative Assembly (MPRS) No. 25/1966, banning Marxism, Leninism and communism.

The rumor shocked the community, but matters are clearer now as the minister of laws and legislation stated that the stipulation can be revoked by the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) itself.

I was also shocked when I heard the rumor. I believe the revocation of this stipulation will mean the green light for communist teachings to develop again in this country, while our bitter experience showed the Indonesian Communist Party resorted to committing the most heinous and cruel crimes in the past. This party organized in 1965 the kidnapping and murder of a number of Army generals from the Indonesian Military (TNI) with a view to toppling the legitimate government and wresting power.

I believe that all of us find it difficult to forget this event, which is an enduring lesson about the cruelty of the Indonesian Communist Party. It is true that we are in a reform era, but it does not mean that everything is liberated or that communist teachings have lost their potential danger.

Although many members of banned political parties now live abroad as political refugees, I believe that many others are still at home, therefore showing that communism poses a latent danger which may emerge at any time.

Just take the shooting of six marines who were at a communal prayer in Aceh; the killing was reminiscent of the methods once applied by the PKI. Therefore, there is no harm in continuing to be alert to the possibility of the recurrence of bitter events of the past. Most importantly, in this case, is that the government, or the MPR, must consider the matter thoroughly and find a strong legal reason if this particular MPRS stipulation is to be revoked. The revocation must not be effected at the expense of the interest of the nation and the state.

SUKMADI

Jakarta