The virtue of forgiveness

A wise elderly citizen has reminded the nation that it should spare a thought for the fate of the former members of the banned Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) who, despite being released some 17 years ago from various detention camps, have yet to be treated like other members of society.

The former communist activists, who are known here as "ex- tapol" (ex-political detainees), number more than 10,000. To this day they continue to bear the heavy burden of state discrimination: their ID cards bear a special mark identifying them as former political detainees.

Roeslan Abdulgani, a former ideological adviser of President Soeharto, said recently that the government should declare a general amnesty for these people, since many of them have entered old age. His idea has received approval from various circles, including the Legal Aid Institute and the National Commission on Human Rights.

The authorities, however, in particular the security forces, seem to have their own reasons for leaving the status of former communists as it is. It is not known how many more years this situation will continue. Many of the former political detainees are now in frail health and it may be for this reason that some people have voiced concern that former communists may die as "ex- tapol", which would mean that they would have to bear the badge of eternal sin even in their graves.

This will, of course, give the impression that ours is a vengeful nation which has not learned to forgive its own members. It may be true that before the 1965 coup the "ex-tapol" were active in anti-state activities which almost plunged this nation into an abyss, and that in their ideological arrogance they succeeded in intimidating the anti-communist majority. However, we should not forget that many of them, especially those who were placed in the so-called "B" category -- most of whom were said to have had prior knowledge of the planned communist coup attempt in October 1965 -- were never brought to trial for lack of evidence.

This has left a dark spot on our history because ever since independence this nation had declared that it respected the rule of law. But not only were those people denied a fair trial, they were also exiled to an island detention camp called Buru, where they were imprisoned for many years.

Now, although they have been allowed back into society for almost two decades, they still have to bear the trademark of their past sins on their ID cards. At the same time, certain groups have even, on occasion, used the threat of communism for their own political ends.

Roeslan's idea is relevant to our situation and it is timely. This week most Indonesians are still celebrating Idul Fitri. One of the virtues most emphasized at Idul Fitri is that of forgiveness and reconciliation. If God, the creator of heaven and hell, is always ready to pardon human beings who repent, then why not we, too, as nation which respects religious teachings?

In August Indonesians will celebrate the 50th anniversary of this Republic. The time seems to have come for us to ask ourselves: Should we continue to deny these brothers and sisters forgiveness and therefore carry them, with all their unforgiven sins, into the next half-century of this Republic's history.

It seems unnecessary, because the success of our national development efforts over the last three decades has made us strong enough mentally, socially and economically to face those former detainees, many of whom are now too old, anyway, to pose any threat to us. This nation has a solid spirit of self- confidence.

We would do well to remember the words of President Soeharto in his state-of-the-nation address in Aug. 1976, when he said that, whatever the sins committed by the "ex-tapol", they were still members of the Indonesian family and "we should accept them back into our society."

The President's words seem to provide good food for thought for the government in the months leading up to the 50th anniversary of our existence as a free nation.