Pito Agustin Rudiana, Sleman – A social gathering by victims of the 1965 tragedy at the Santi Dharma Retreat in Godean sub-district, Sleman regency, Yogyakarta, was attacked by the Indonesian Anti-Communist Front (FAKI) on Sunday October 27. At least three people were injured during the attack and are reported to have returned to their homes.

“They said they were from FAKI, they attacked from all directions. We were surrounded”, said event committee organiser Irina Dayasih when contacted by Tempo today.

Dayasih explained that the event was attended by families of victims of the 1965 tragedy. There were also young children who were experiencing financial problems. This was the first time they had held such an event. “We were discussing the question of how to alleviate their [financial] problems”, said Dayasih.

The event was planned to start at 11am however by around 10.30am less than 10 people had turned up. It was around this time that three participants who had only just arrived on motorcycles were attacked without warning by several members of FAKI in the grounds of the building. They suffered injuries.

Prior to the attack, at around 8am, they were visited by officials from the police, village and regency administration. They were informed that a social group was planning to close down the event. Dayasih explained to the officials that the event did not represent any kind of threat.

“If you want to, feel free to sit down, see and listen to what we will be discussing”, said Dayasih. The police, according to Dayasih, stated they would safeguard the event. It turned out however that they were not quick enough to prevent the attack from occurring.

Yogyakarta Legal Aid Foundation (LBH) director Syamsudin Nurseha said that the state had failed to protect its citizen’s rights, bearing in mind that Indonesia has ratified the UN convention on civil and political rights, within which is right of citizens to gather and express themselves.

“The police must investigate the case and arrest the perpetrators. Don’t let this kind of incident be repeated”, said Nurseha.

[Acara Silaturahmi Korban 65 Diserang FAKI – Tempo.co. Minggu, 27 Oktober 2013. Translated by James Balowski.]