Balinese workers call for wage rise in lead up to May Day

Sindo News - April 30, 2015

Puji Sukiswanti, Denpasar – Hundreds of workers from the Balinese United Labour Alliance (ABBB) held a rally at the Bali Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) building in the provincial capital of Denpasar on April 30.

They also commemorated International Labour Day with rallies at the Balinese governor's office and the Niti Mandala Renon eastern parking lot, also in Denpasar.

Action coordinator Ida I Dewa Made Rai Budi Darsana said that the workers were demanding wage rises adding that the Balinese provincial minimum wage (UMP) is too low compared with East Java and Jakarta, yet the cost of living in Bali is not very different from Jakarta.

"The cost of living in Bali is becoming increasingly expensive, we from the Balinese United Labour Alliance are demanding an UMP for 2016 of around 2.2 million rupiah [a month]", he told journalists in Denpasar on Thursday April 30.

Moreover, he said, Bali is special region so the current UMP of 1.6 million rupiah a month is very low and does not cover the cost of workers' living costs. "We hope that the government will understand the situation facing workers", he said.

During the action, the workers were received by Bali DPRD deputy speaker Nyoman Sugawa Koryy and DPRD members Nyoman Parta and Ketut Kariyasa. Nyoman Sugawa Koryy claimed that he can understand the complaints of workers in Bali.

"We will accommodate their demands for an increase in the UMP, we will discuss the matter further with other council members", he explained to journalists.

The ABBB is an alliance labour and non-government organisations (LSM) including the Balinese Trade Union (SPB), the United Balinese National Front for Labour Struggle (FNPBBB) and the Balinese chapter of the Indonesian National Front for Labour Struggle (FNPBI). (san)

[Slightly abridged translation by James Balowski for the Indoleft news service. The original title of the article was May Day, Buruh Bali Tuntut Kenaikan UMP Rp2,2 Juta.]

Source: http://daerah.sindonews.com/read/995810/174/may-day-buruh-bali-tuntut-kenaikan-ump-rp2-2-juta-1430381509.

Indonesian workers divided over plans to establish new labour party

CNN Indonesia – April 30, 2015

Abraham Utama, Jakarta – International Labour Day or May will be commemorated tomorrow on Friday May 1 in a number of different countries. On Thursday however, labour groups in Indonesia were still divided over plans to establish a new labour party.

Workers affiliated with the Indonesian People's United Resistance (PPRI) for example have emphatically opposed a plan by the Indonesian Labour Movement (GBI) to establish a political party in the name of the Indonesian labour movement.

"We (workers) must build a [political] party, but not just for workers, but for all the people. Not [just] a new party, but an alternative party", said Paulus Suryanta Ginting when speaking with CNN Indonesia. Ginting is one of the workers affiliated with the PPRI.

Ginting doubts that the GBI's talk about declaring a labour party tomorrow will be realised. He questions whether trade unions that have explicitly aligned themselves with certain political forces can merge and fight for the same goals.

On Thursday April 23, the GBI announced that it was determined to establish a labour party on May Day. Confederation of the All-Indonesian Workers Union (KSPSI) president Andi Ghani Nena Wea claimed that the idea of forming a party already has the support of several trade union with a large mass base such as the Confederation of Indonesian Trade Unions (KSPI) led by Said Iqbal.

During last year's presidential election, the two labour organisations took different positions visa-a-vis their support for the presidential candidates. Andi Ghani and his group gave their support to the President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo and Vice President Jusuf Kalla ticket while Iqbal and his KSPI garnered votes for the Prabowo Subianto and Hatta Rajasa ticket.

"How can it possibly be an alternative [political] party if it's still in cahoots with certain elements of the elite", said Ginting. He suspects that these labour organisation leaders will misuse workers' votes to increase their political bargaining power.

Speaking separately, Iqbal said that his group is not yet in full agreement with Andi Ghani, noting that forming a labour party is not as simple as just turning over a new leaf. "It can't just be declared all of a sudden. There has to be a process", said Iqbal.

According to Iqbal, there are at least three stages that workers need to go through in order create a party in their own name, namely political education among labour groups, the establishment of a mass organisation as an embryonic political party and an internal survey among workers on whether there is a need for a labour party.

"It mustn't just involve a small group of workers. The majority of groups must take part. Groups outside of workers must be invited, such as farmers and fisherpeople", said Iqbal.

On this last point, Ginting agrees with Iqbal. He said that an ideal labour party cannot be exclusively for workers, but must also reach out to other social groups that are suffering the same fate as and are struggling alongside workers.

According to Ginting, if the establishment of a labour party is forced, the party will die in its infancy. Its fortunes will be the same past labour movement projects: it will surface then flounder.

[Translated by James Balowski for the Indoleft News Service. The original title of the report was May Day, Buruh Indonesia Terpecah soal Pembentukan Partai.]

Source: http://www.cnnindonesia.com/politik/20150430085558-32-50203/may-day-buruh-indonesia-terpecah-soal-pembentukan-partai/.

Labour leaders flattered by invite to join Widodo on presidential jet

Kompas.com - April 29, 2015

Jakarta – Indonesian trade union leaders felt enormously flattered to be invited by President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo to join him on the presidential plane to visit the Central Java provincial capital of Semarang to officiate the construction of 1 million homes for workers.

Confederation of the All-Indonesian Workers Union (KSPSI) president Andi Ghani Nena Wea said that they received extraordinary special treatment from the president during the journey.

Jokowi invited the trade union leaders along with several cabinet members to fly to Semarang as passengers on the presidential plane.

"This is a historical moment for the working class in Indonesia, yeah, Jokowi is the first president of Indonesia to invite trade union leaders to travel in the presidential plane", said Andi, who was part of the president's entourage, when speaking with Kompas on Wednesday April 29.

"There has never been an administration before Jokowi's that treated workers like this. Not until Jokowi now. Presidents before him always maintained a distance and tended towards formality when they met us", continued Andi.

According to Andi, there were two moments during the trip that convinced the trade union leaders that Widodo cared about workers. First, said Andi, when the aircraft was in the air Widodo stood up and walked to the row of seats at the back of the plane to speak with the trade union leaders.

"The president came up to us. He requested that the May Day, May 1 2015 [rallies] proceed peacefully. We immediately conveyed our commitment to maintain security", said Andi.

A number of ministers traveled on the flight, including among others Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Puan Maharani, Labour and Transport Minister Muhammad Hanif Dhakiri and Public Works and Housing Minister Basuki Hadimuljono.

The second moment, continued Andi, was when the president gave his greetings at a groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of housing for workers, and he chose not to give a speech. The ceremony should have been used by Widodo to give a speech to trade union leaders.

"It wasn't planned at all. It was totally impromptu, outside of the normal protocol. The workers who were present welcomed the moment", said Andi.

The president's special treatment of the trade union leaders convinced them that Widodo is endeavoring to improve Indonesian workers' welfare.

Andi also guaranteed that the worker organisations would not try to overthrow the administration of President Widodo and Vice President Jusuf Kalla.

"One of the ways workers will show their appreciation to the president is that we will guarantee that the May Day [rallies] will be peaceful and orderly. We will prevent infiltrators from getting in", said Andi.

[Translated by James Balowski for the Indoleft News Service. The original title of the report was Diajak Jokowi Naik Pesawat Kepresidenan, Pimpinan Organisasi Buruh Tersanjung.]

Source: http://nasional.kompas.com/read/2015/04/29/20201361/Diajak.Jokowi.Naik.Pesawat.Kepresidenan.Pimpinan.Organisasi.Buruh.Tersanjung.

PPRI: Any new labour party must be independent of political elite

Solidarity Net - April 29, 2015

Andri Yunarko, Jakarta – On Monday April 27 the Indonesian People's United Resistance (PPRI) held a press conference at the offices of the Jakarta Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (LBH) to declare its position on the commemoration of International Labour Day or May Day.

The PPRI's membership includes a number of different people's organisations such as workers, migrant workers, students, artists and the urban poor.

The PPRI spokespeople at the press conference were Ata (Solidarity Alliance for Labour Struggle, GSPB), Sultoni (National Labour Movement Centre, SGBN), Surya Anta (People's Liberation Party, PPR) and Nisma (Indonesian Migrant Workers Trade Union, SBMI).

In its statement the PPRI criticised the approach of establishing a political party that involves the political elite, including the planned declaration of a new political party by the Indonesian Labour Movement (GBI). Although the PPRI agrees with the need for the ordinary people to have their own political party, it must fulfill three conditions.

First, in building such a political party it is not enough to just announce it then consolidate it among the trade union elite only, instead it must involve all trade union members.

Second, such a political party cannot just be just for workers but must be for all oppressed people such as fisherpeople, farmers, the urban poor and students.

And third, such a political party must be free from cooptation and the interests of the political elite who serve the interests of capital. If a labour party is coopted by the interests of the political elite, then the party will only be calling itself a workers party, but not fighting for workers' interests, only the interests of the elite and capital.

"A new party does not [necessarily] mean it's an alternative [political party], like the KSPI [Confederation of Indonesian Trade Unions] that wants to build a political party but still maintains a close relationship with the KMP (former New Order general Prabowo Subianto's Red and White parliamentary coalition – Ed) elite", said Surya, who is also the spokesperson for the PPR, referring to the many new political parties that have emerged in the lead up to elections but are established by elite groups with capital.

Based on the above, the PPRI is critical of and opposes the position taken by labour organisations that are in fact collaborating with the political elite. There will be no improvement whatsoever, and it could even jeopardise ordinary people's future, if such a political party collaborates with the political elite in support of interests that are far removed from those of the people.

Those elements of the trade union leadership that are affiliated with the GBI have a track record of allying themselves with the political elite. They include KSPI president Said Iqbal who encouraged KSPI members to support Prabowo during the July presidential election, and Confederation of Indonesian Workers' Union (KSPSI) president Andi Ghani Nena Wea (KSPI) and Confederation of Prosperity Labour Unions (KSBSI) president Mudhofir (KSBSI) who supported President Joko Widodo in the elections last year.

The PPRI believes that building such a political party must be done in the framework of abolishing the oppression of the ordinary people.

This includes the oppression of workers through outsourcing and contract labour systems, low wages, dismissals and the muzzling of trade unions. The oppression of migrant workers such as Nuraeni who was tortured in Kuwait and whose case has been ignored by the state. The oppression of farmers, such as the seizure of agricultural lands in Ramunia (North Sumatra), Rembang (Central Java) and in many other parts of the country along with land evictions without providing decent alternative housing.

Government policies to cut subsidies for the people are also impacting on the soaring price of basic goods, education and healthcare. The people's suffering is also aggravated by restrictions on democracy such as state violence against so-called 'street thugs' and limits on the freedom of opinion and expression in both the real world as well as the internet through draconian laws.

For the PPRI therefore, the urgent task at the moment is a program to improve people's lives, both in terms of welfare as well as democratic freedoms. This program will be proclaimed at May Day this year with a call for workers and the people to build their own political party without the political elite, for the broadest possible democracy and the redistribution of national wealth for the welfare of all.

[Translated by James Balowski for the Indoleft News Service. The original title of the report was "PPRI: Bangun Partai Buruh Tanpa Kooptasi Elit".]

Source: http://solidaritas.net/2015/04/ppri-bangun-partai-buruh-tanpa-kooptasi-elit.html.

Foreign debt – Digging a hole, filling a hole

Kompas Newspaper - April 25, 2015

Indonesia's foreign debt continues to rise, primarily because private sector debt is growing. Of the various issues related to private sector foreign debt, the composition of new debts to pay old debts needs to be given attention. The 'nomenclature' of this kind of foreign debt is referred to as 'refinancing'.

In every day terms however, it is easier to translate as "digging a hole, filling a hole". Indonesia's foreign debt figures for February 2015, which were published by Bank Indonesia (BI) in April show that there is tread towards an ever greater percentage of foreign debt being used for refinancing.

Total private sector foreign debt used for refinancing in February reached 13,465 billion US dollars. This is equivalent to 174 trillion rupiah based on the Jakarta Interbank Spot Dollar Rate (Jisdor) for Friday April 24.

The composition of private sector debt for refinancing has now reached 8.2 percent of total private sector debt for February 2014 which stood at 164.1 billion dollars US. What is of concern is that the amount and percentage of loans being used for refinancing continues to rise.

By comparison, in 2010, foreign debt used for refinancing stood at 1.99 billion dollars US or 2.7 percent of the total private sector debt. In 2011 this had risen to 3.75 billion dollars US or 3.9 percent.

In 2012, this increased again to 5.4 billion dollars US or 4.7 percent of total private sector foreign debt. In 2013, refinancing rose yet again to 8.4 billion dollars or 6.5 percent of total debt. Last year the composition for refinancing reached 7.4 percent of private sector foreign debt.

As foreign debt for refinancing increases, the growth in loans used by private corporations for investment obviously slows.

The growth in foreign loans for refinancing has risen in concert with a slowing of economic growth and the fall in commodity prices. In order to maintain cash flows, many corporations whose core business is in the commodity sector have had to seek new and bigger loans in order to cover old debts.

Over the last two years commodity prices have continued to decline triggered by weak demand from global markets. Over the last year however this situation has been aggravated by a drop in the price of crude oil that has created a negative sentiment for commodity prices. As an example, the international market price for coal, which reached around 100 dollars US per ton in 2011, currently stands at only 35 dollars US per ton.

In general terms, the management of foreign loans is being improved so that debtors don't default on their debts. The BI has issued a number of regulations, including among others, related to foreign loan hedging transactions that was implement this year.

Corporations that have a negative difference between foreign currency assets and foreign currency obligations must be have foreign currency available long before debts mature. In addition to this, they are subject to regulations on foreign debt ratio.

The fall in commodity prices should be a lesson for corporations in Indonesia. Corporations must be able to make projections about business prospects and whether they need fresh foreign loans. If they fail to do this, in the end corporations will be forced to dig holes to fill holes in order to save their business. (A HANDOKO)

Source: No link available.

[Translated by James Balowski for the Indoleft News Service. The original title of the report was Utang Luar Negeri - Gali Lubang Tutup labong.]

Progressive rock band SID denies it will perform at KSPI May Day Fiesta

Solidarity Net - April 24, 2015

Jakarta – An announcement by the Confederation of Indonesian Trade Unions (KSPI) that the punk rock band Superman Is Dead (SID) will be performing at the May Day Fiesta on May 1 has been denied by the band.

This is despite the fact that the KSPI has been hastily distributing flyers saying that SID will be playing at the event, albeit with a small footnote that SID has yet to confirm its attendance.

On its official Twitter and Facebook pages, SID said that it would not be appearing at the event. "The flyer is a lie!" read an 8.39pm status update on the SID Facebook fan page on April 22.

The posting has attracted both positive and negative responses with some are saying that the posting has been engineered so that workers will not hold demonstrations to commemorate May Day.

The owner of the Facebook account, Ricky Mohammad YS, has confirmed that it is a lie as he knows SID's schedule of appearances.

"Moreover in the tour dates there is no May 1 SID stage appearance at the GBK [Bung Karno Stadium] in Senayan", he wrote, along with a link to SID's schedule of appearances that can be accessed at <http://www.supermanisdead.net/>.

Not only that, there are also fans that are calling on the band not to sell the name SID. The Facebook account Giska Septiana wrote, "A trick to draw the masses... don't go on stage with the Er Ce Em puppets".

Er Ce Em (RCM) refers to the Love the Republic (Republik Cinta Management) owned by Ahmad Dhani who has been invited to appear at the May Day Fiesta.

FSPMI (Indonesian Metal Trade Workers Federation) and KSPI activist Amir Mahfouzh explained that SID's appearance is still waiting on a confirmation as printed in the flyer.

"Although in the end the agreement was canceled the flyer had already been printed. [But] SID will in fact not be appearing", he said.

This statement has sown confusion because the [Facebook] status on SID's appearance states that it is still waiting on a confirmation, so what exactly has been cancelled?

As reported earlier by the April 2014 edition of the Koran Perdjoeangan newspaper, one of the FSPMI-KSPI 2015 May Day Fiesta organising committee members, Herianto, said, "This year it will be the same, it's planned that Zaskia Gotik and Superman Is Dead will fill the music performances. We chose Zaskia Gotik because dangdut music [a popular music with strong Hindu type musical beat] is the music of the ordinary people, while Superman Is Dead is a band that takes up critical social themes". (See: FSPMI-KSPI invites Jokowi and Zaskia Gotik to enliven May Day 2015)

Prior to SID announcing its decision not to appear at the May Day Fiesta, one of its fans criticised its appearance at the event.

"How could a 'critical' band of the caliber of Superman Is Dead be willing to perform at a pro-militarist party event? What is the use of this noise about OPPOSITION if you don't want to learn from history!", wrote Wahyu on the wall of the SID fan page on April 20.

The FSPMI and the KSPI supported former New Order general Prabowo Subianto from the Greater Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra) during the July presidential election.

Many believe that Prabowo will return Indonesia to the era of former president Suharto's militaristic New Order regime. Aside from trade unions, a number of celebrities also supported Prabowo during the election including Ahmad Dhani and the RCM.

SID is known as a critical and political band. One of its campaign activities has been to oppose the Benoa Bay land reclamation project in Bali. Although SID is classified as non-mainstream and idealists, it has been widely acclaimed and won the 2014 Indonesian Choice Awards and the 2014 Indonesian Music Award as the best rock group.

Notes

In June 2014, a music video made by musician Ahmad Dhani as a tribute to presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto sparked outrage with its strong Nazi overtones. In the video, an adaptation of the Queen classic We Will Rock You, Dhani sports a fascist-style uniform and holds a golden Garuda – a mythical bird that is Indonesia's emblem – but which, against the black of his paramilitary attire, looked remarkably like the German imperial eagle that the Nazis incorporated into their iconography.

[Translated by James Balowski for the Indoleft News Service. The original title of the report was Bohong! SID Bantah Akan Tampil di May Day Fiesta KSPI.]

Source: http://solidaritas.net/2015/04/bohong-sid-bantah-akan-tampil-di-may-day-fiesta-kspi.html.

In lead up to May Day, labour groups agree to form political party

Viva News - April 23, 2015

Syahrul Ansyari, Foe Peace Simbolon – In the lead up to the commemoration of International Labour Day 2015 or May Day, the Indonesian Labour Movement (GBI), which is made up of the Confederation of Indonesian Trade Unions (KSPI), the Confederation of the All-Indonesian Workers Union (KSPSI), the Confederation of Prosperity Labour Unions (KSBSI), the Indonesian Multi-Sector Trade Union Federation (FSPASI) and other people's organisations, has agreed to form a political party.

Ilham Syah, a representative from the Indonesian Labour Union Confederation Preparatory Committee (KP-KPBI), said that this year's May Day in Indonesia would be different. This year workers will not just be campaigning around normative labour issues but this year's May Day will be raising working class political consciousness.

"Enough already, you the workers and the ordinary people continue to be lied to by the political elite that are currently in power", said Syah at a press conference themed "Workers unite with the people to build their own political party" at the Sofyan Hotel on Jl. Cut Mutia in Cikini, Central Jakarta, on Thursday April 22.

KSPSI president Andi Gani added that workers represent the majority of the people who should have a determining power over all policies that are enacted by the regime of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo and Vice President Jusuf Kalla (Jokowi-JK).

The fact is however, that workers have simply been turned into objects by those in power. "This cannot be delayed any longer, workers and the ordinary people who are fighting must have their own political vehicle", said Gani.

At this year's International Labour Day, workers will be calling on the Jokowi-JK administration to seriously implement the Constitution and the mandate of the 1998 reformasi movement. They feel that the government has no clear commitment to improve the welfare of the Indonesian people.

"If the government wants to restore Indonesia's national sovereignty, then the administration led by President Jokowi and JK must end the process of liberalisation that it currently taking place in all sectors, particularly the labour sector". (mus)

Notes

The Indonesian Metal Trade Workers Federation (FSPMI), which is one of the most active trade unions affiliated with the Confederation of Indonesian Trade Unions (KSPI), supported former New Order general Prabowo Subianto during the July 2014 presidential election. According media reports, FSPMI president Said Iqbal was promised the position of labour minister in a Prabowo government in return for his endorsement. It has also been reported that the KSPI has invited musician Ahmad Dhani, who sparked outrage last year for making a pro-Prabowo music video with strong Nazi overtones, to perform at this year's May Day Fiesta. Left-wing labour activist have therefore expressed concern over any labour unity project initiated by these trade unions due to their continuing support of Prabowo.

[Translated by James Balowski for the Indoleft News Service. The original title of the report was "Organisasi Buruh Akan Mendirikan Partai Politik".]

Source: http://politik.news.viva.co.id/news/read/617623-organisasi-buruh-akan-mendirikan-partai-politik.

Workers to establish political party after this year's May Day rallies

Kompas.com - April 23, 2015

Jakarta – The Indonesia Labour Movement (GBI) has agreed to form its own political party following the commemoration of May Day 2015.

"The party will be established from confederations, federations, trade unions and other people's movement organisations", said Ilham Syah from the Indonesian Labour Union Confederation Preparatory Committee (KP-KPBI) at a press conference in Jakarta on Thursday April 23.

During the press conference Syah explained that this year's May Day would be the biggest labour action ever. "There will be around 178,000 protesters at May Day, this will be the biggest action [so far]", he said.

The May Day action will be making a number of demands, include among others, calling for the cancellation of five-yearly wage increases, revisions to Ministerial Regulation Number 19/2013 on outsourcing, a total revision of Law Number 2/2004 on the settlement of industrial disputes (PPHI), protection from the state for workers that fall victim to mass dismissals and the drafting of a law on protecting workers.

The technical aspects of the formation of the political party will be discussed after May Day. The move has been made as a result of workers' dissatisfaction with the lack of attention from the government.

[Translated by James Balowski for the Indoleft News Service. The original title of the report was Setelah Gelar 'Mayday', Buruh Berencana Bentuk Partai Politik.]

Source: http://nasional.kompas.com/read/2015/04/23/16051541/Setelah.Gelar.Mayday.Buruh.Berencana.Bentuk.Partai.Politik.

18 arrested during protest in Jakarta against Asia-Africa Conference

MRB Media - April 20, 2015

Jakarta – As many as 18 people from the People's Struggle Front (FPR) were arrested by the Metro Jaya police at a protest action in front of the US Embassy in Gambir, Central Jakarta.

The arrests were made after scores of demonstrators from the FPR opposed the 60th Asia-Africa Conference (KAA) being held in the West Java provincial capital of Bandung saying it has deviated from the principal ideals of the founding conference in 1955 that opposed all forms of domination and colonialism.

The FPR said that the KKA is now no more that a ceremonial even and is ridden with political interests seeking to consolidate countries under the domination of US imperialism. The KAA no longer has any sensitivity towards of the suffering of the ordinary people in colonised and semi-colonised countries in Asia and Africa, which have simply become cash cows for other countries.

People’s Movement Alliance for Agrarian Reform (AGRA) secretary general Rahmat Ajiguna stated that the arrest of the FPR activists is an anti-democratic act by the administration of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo.

"Jokowi is blocking the Indonesian people's democratic movement, expressing an opinion is a right and the state is obliged to protect it, but in fact it is instead muzzling it just because we are opposing foreign domination of Indonesia", he said when MRB contacted him by phone.

FPR coordination Rudi HB Daman meanwhile stated that they would defend and advocate for the arrested protesters. Daman also said that "Jokowi has shown that his government places more importance on investment than people's development and the KAA is only a stage for Jokowi to further promote Indonesia to investors".

The KAA is indeed take place at the same times as the World Economic Forum that will be held at the Shangri-la Hotel in Jakarta.

As of going to print, all of the arrested protesters were still being held by the Metro Jaya regional police.

The following is a list of those arrested by police: Ali Paganum, Marjenab, Wahyu, Rendy, Harto, La Ode Nuralim, Yopihari, Aswin, Juned, M Saiful, Juyun, Ujang Abdul Gafur, Arif Triyamayadi, Siti Habibah, Azwin, Unai Sugiarto and Helda Prasetya. (MRB)

Notes

The first Asia-Africa Conference was held in Bandung in 1955 by Indonesia's first president Sukarno and led to the birth of the Non-Aligned Movement.

[Translated by James Balowski for the Indoleft News Service. The original title of the report was 18 Orang ditangkap Polda Metro Jaya, Dilarang Aksi Menentang KAA.]

Source: http://mrb-media.com/index.php/politik/537-18-orang-ditangkap-polda-metro-jaya-dilarang-aksi-menentang-kaa.

1965 affair could open the way to investigating other rights violations

Deutsche Welle - April 13, 2015

Hendra Pasuhuk – A seminar by the International People's Tribunal (IPT1965) titled Indonesia’s 1965 Massacre: Unveiling The Truth, Demanding Justice that was held in the Den Haag on April 10 on the 1965 massacres in Indonesia, which resulted in the killing of hundreds of thousands of people, has raised several new aspects related to the affair. 2015 could be a decisive year for the investigation of various other gross human rights violations.

Former Dutch minister for development aid, Jan Pronk, raised the question as to why the Netherlands has preferred to remain silent on the humanitarian crimes that took place in Indonesia in 1965. As the former coloniser of Indonesia, the Netherlands appears to have sought to tread carefully and safeguard its quite significant business interests and investments in Indonesia.

Hundreds of thousands of Indonesian citizens who were accused of involvement in the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) were killed in 1965. In the years that followed, sympathisers and family members were isolated and stigmatised. The total number of victims of the 1965 killings is still not fully known because investigations into affair were taboo during the New Order regime under the leadership of former president Suharto.

The decades of New Order propaganda an agitation about the brutality of the PKI and organisations affiliated with the political party still grip Indonesian society to this day. The IPT1965 is seeking to break open the taboos and veil that has obscured this humanitarian calamity through a series of events and publication both in Indonesia and overseas.

Sensitive issue

Professor Saskia Wieringa, who spoke on the international dimension of human rights at the seminar said that the 1965 affair is still a very sensitive issue in Indonesia. A similar view was conveyed by Jan Pronk who said that the Netherlands also committed war crimes in Indonesia.

Gerry van Klinken, a researcher from Leiden University, elaborated on how the 1965 affair was not just a "military crime" against citizens as it is often portrayed. "This affair indicates that when it took place there was a huge cleavage within society", said Klinken. This is because it was not just the military but also religious groups, both Islamic and Christian, that were involved in the mass killings.

Lawyer and legal observer Todung Mulya Lubis said that it would be impossible to initiate legal proceedings over the 1965 affair. This is because New Order forces still have a huge influence. "But this must become a principle agenda item for the administration of Jokowi [President Joko Widodo]", said Lubis. Moreover it could open the way for investigations into other gross human rights violations such as Tanjung Priok, Talangsari, Aceh, East Timor, Papua and the assassination human rights activists Munir.

Learning from other countries

Jan Pronk suggested that Indonesia learn from other countries such as Rwanda in order to resolve the 1965 mass killings. He also recalled that at the time that many Western block countries had an interest in containing communism in Indonesia and removing President Sukarno who they saw as supporting the left and socialist block.

Nursyahbani Katjasungkana SH, one of the IPT1965 coordinators, admitted that it is not easy to publically raise the issue of the 1965 mass killings. When the IPT11965 website <http://1965tribunal.org/> was launched in Jakarta, the committee invited a number of media to cover the event. Journalists did indeed come but it was not reported she said. Instead, the Detik.com news portal carried a story about IPT1965 from the Netherlands, not Jakarta.

So far only a few media have carried articles on the IPT1965's activities, including among others Deutsche Welle (DW), Detik.com and Tempo Interactive. Pos Kota News carried a report on the IPT1965's seminar in Den Haag by quoting from a story by DW.

Todung Mulya Lubis conceded that 1965 is not a sexy issue for the media like corruption and admitted to being pessimistic that the situation will change in the short term. This is because in 2012 the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) released a full report complete with data and recommendations on the 1965 affair. The report was the result of four years research as mandated under Law Number 26/2000 on a Human Rights Court. To this day however, there has been no follow up from the government.

[Translated by James Balowski for the Indoleft News Service. The original title of the report was Peristiwa 1965 Bisa Membuka Pintu bagi Pengusutan Pelanggaran HAM Lain.]

Source: http://www.dw.de/peristiwa-1965-bisa-membuka-pintu-bagi-pengusutan-pelanggaran-ham-lain/a-18378090.