Aditya Revianur, Jakarta – The chairperson of the Anshor Youth Movement (the youth wing of the Islamic mass organisation Nahdlatul Ulama), Nusron Wahid, says that the government does not need to acknowledge past gross human rights violations, particularly the humanitarian tragedy in 1965-1966.

Nurmulia Rekso Purnomo, Jakarta – Victims of human rights violations held a protest action on Tuesday January 17 demanding that the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) immediately announce the results of an investigation in to the 1965-66 affair. The action was held at the Komnas HAM offices in the Menteng area of Central Jakarta.

Jakarta – Scores of victims of the 1965-66 affair protested at the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) office in Jakarta today.

Jakarta – Army Chief of Staff (KSAD) General Pramono Edhie Wibowo said today that vigilance must be maintained against communists so that the September 30, 1965 (G30S) affair, which was carried out by the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI), is not repeated.

Jakarta – Conflicts between the Indonesian military (TNI) and the people shows that internal reform within military as an institution is not fully complete. The security approach, like the era of Suharto’s New Order regime, is still being used by the TNI, particularly when confronted by problems.

Jakarta – The political events of 1965 are estimated to have cost the lives of millions of people. Those accused of being members or sympathisers of the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) were forcibly disappeared, incarcerated and jailed without judicial process. Many women also became victims.

Jakarta – The US Central Intelligence Agency very much dominated the initial consolidation of the New Order regime of former President Suharto. US international relations historian from Princeton University, Bradley R Simpson, says that the succession of laws enacted by President Suharto was drafted with strong influence from the US.

Jakarta – Law enforcement throughout 2010 has been corrupt and discriminatory.

Jakarta – The law that serves as a basis for the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) to ban the circulation of books is no longer contextual or relevant under the current situation.

Wicak Hidayat, Jakarta – The Indonesian Communist Party (PKI), an organisation banned in Indonesia, has again resurfaced. This time on Facebook.

Jakarta – Hundreds of activists from Jakarta and 13 other provinces across Indonesia camped overnight at the Proclamation Monument in Central Jakarta on Monday February 11.

Rofiuddin, Sohirin, Semarang – Victims of the September 30 Movement/Indonesian Communist Party (G30S/PKI) affair will issue a summons against President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono because up until now the president has never provided rehabilitation to the victims of the 1965 affair.

Zainal Effendi, Surabaya – The Surabaya state prosecutor has seized primary and secondary school history books that are deemed to have the potential to disrupt national security. The book seizures were based on Attorney General Decree Number 19/1997.

A.J. Susmana – It has been 61 years since Indonesia declared itself as an independent nation. But the question so often asked by the cynical is: “Are we really free?”.

Jakarta – Provisional People’s Consultative Assembly (MPRS) Decree Number XXV/1966 cannot in any way be the basis for Article 60 sub-section (g) of Law Number 12/2003 on the general elections. This is because the MPRS decree only specifies that the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) is a banned organisation.

Rizal Maslan, Jakarta – On Monday August 25, the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) sent a letter to President Megawati Sukarnoputri requesting that G30S/PKI(1) political prisoners who are innocent be rehabilitated. The matter was in reference to considerations made by the Supreme Court to provide such rehabilitation.

Jakarta – If the [August 1-7 annual session of the] People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) determines that MPRS Decree Number XXV/1996 is not to be revoked, the MPR must state that this decree can no longer be used as legal grounds in the courts.

MPRS Decree Number XXV/1966 on the Dissolution of the Indonesian Communist Party and Prohibitions on Marxist, Leninist and Communist Teachings is still being maintained as law. However for the families who have been affected by this “collective sin” as a result of this decree, the issue is not one of the decree being revoked or not(1).

Getting rid of a bad image which has long been planted in the minds of society is not an easy matter. The polemic over the issue of the revoking of MPRS Decree Number XXV/1996 on the Dissolution of the Indonesian Communist Party and Prohibitions on Marxist, Leninist and Communist Teachings has yet to end.

Semarang -- Based on intelligence data, there are presently 10,000 ex-political prisoners from the categories A, B and C across Central Java/Yogyakarta, who have established political parties.