REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, By: Muhammad Pizaro
Resurrection of the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) becomes a hot topic lately. Many parties consider the government’s apologizing plan to PKI is opening its opportunity back.
Before apologizing, the government could learn coercion of the Nasakom concept taking the nation’s best cadres and figures.
To unite the three great powers of Indonesia, Soekarno concepted the nasakom idea. In the elections, that was mentioned the most democratic election historically, Masjumi controlled 20.9 percent of the vote and won in 10 of 15 regions. Were it combined with NU’s voice 18.4%, the Islamic parties percentage would be almost 40%.
Besides, the Indonesian National Party (PNI) gained 22.3 percent, whereas the PKI’s vote reached 16%. Respectively, PNI occupied the first position, the Islamic party in the second, and PKI got the third.
Since the composition, Soekarno rolled the unification idea among the nationalist, the religious and the communist or called “Nasakom”.
PKI supported it due to the concept could be a path to gain peoples sympathy as well as spreaded its influence in Soekarno’s government.
According to Ahmad Syafii Maarif, the Nasakom’s policies can be separated from orientation of Soekarno’s foreign policy more inclining to the leftist by opening the Jakarta-Beijing-Pyongyang-Moscow’s axis.
The idea major target is to incorporate PKI into the cabinet, as a hidden Soekarno’s goal. DN. Aidit, MH. Lukman, and Njoto finally entered the Nasakom cabinet. Although unsatisfying Soekarno, that was the highest position attainable PKI.
The interesting is NU’s respond, as the Soekarno staunch supporter at the Demokrasi Terpimpin period, but in this case, NU became the main opponents against the Nasakom idea. In alliance with Sukarno, PKI was more believable than NU.
The competition of NU and PKI since the 1955 election was increasingly fierce in the 1960s. Being in one plot under Demokrasi Terpimpin’s cabinet, PKI disrespected NU as one of the Islamic political representations.
The blowing contradiction up as PKI’s ideology against Islam clearly. Religious people obliged to strengthen religion, while the PKI dutied to scrape all forms of religious belief out. It means PKI insulted the religion and its society figures. Exactly, it became a real enemy for NU.
NU still remembered the massive massacres by PKI against Kiyai in Madiun and Magetan in 1948. When PKI buried Kyai in wells alive, their cadres had a slogan: destroy Islamic boarding, disperse mosque, students die!
PKI Conflicts
Inevitably, the PKI’s access was opened by Soekarno eventually responded with abusing and insulting God. The PKI’s mask that had been echoed as a party upholding the Pancasila spirit was finally opened.
Refusing the Islamic activities in Surabaya, the number of Pemuda Rakyat’s cadres (underbouw PKI) stormed Masjid Sunan Ampel. In that mosque, they danced and sang “Genjer-Genjer” (a PKI song). In fact, they intended to transform the mosque into Gerwani’s headquarters.
Responding the situation, NU’s cadres, especially Anshor and Muslims in general, there were no other choices except fighting them. Thus, there was a clash of two social forces, because of the more NU’s troops number, finally Pemuda Rakyat’s gang could be muffled and brought to justice.
Unsatisfying to degrade Islam, PKI held the cultural performances against God. In January 15, 1965, the PKI’s cadres in the People's Cultural Institute (LEKRA) held ludruk (the funny traditional drama) Gusti Allah Dadi Manten (Allah Be Bride). The show finally made Banser NU’s cadres clashed with PKI. Banser unaccepted the abuse against God and tried to disperse the ludruk.
In Kampak District, LEKRA held again Ketoprak (the traditional drama) Rabine Gusti Allah (The God Marriage). Responding it, Pemuda Anshor could not keep silent. When the theatrical was running, a group of Pemuda Anshor soon ambushed. However, a group of Pemuda Rakyat protected LEKRA’s members that resulting in fights. Finally, all the Ketoprak players and leaders were arrested and prosecuted, since the performance was considered blasphemy.
The Blasphemy also occurred in Malang in 1965 when the Chairman of the Indonesian Journalists Association (PWI) Karim DP, an ideologue of PKI, gave a speech in front of PKI’s leaders.
Karim said, the religious people especially Kyai is a group of feudal bourgeois and the enemy of proletarian class. Therefore, PKI will always reckon with the religious groups, especially Kyai.
The next tragic event happened to a famous preacher KH. Djufri Marzuqi in Pamekasan, Madura in July 27, 1965. When giving a lecture in public, he was stabbed to death by the PKI members. Of course, the killing sparked the public anger in Madura and East Java. Madura people were extremely seeing red.
Constitutional Reference
Indonesia has TAP MPRS number 25/MPRS/1966 regulating the banning of any activity form, which disseminates or propagates Communism, Leninism or Marxism.
In TAP MPRS number 25/MPRS/1966 regulates the legal position of PKI dispersion and prohibiting of communism teachings. In fact, TAP MPRS is reinforced by TAP MPR Number 1/2003. During that constitution has not been revoked, PKI is still a banned organization in Indonesia.
Besides, the constitution should be government reference to prevent PKI’s resurrection. The apologizing is not only contrary to the constitution, but also will provide a path for the PKI to rise by taking public sympathy. It should be base Indonesia’s government to review the apologizing plan.
The government's stance apologizing to PKI will only hurt people. It is sufficient people’s suffering due to the country’s forcing hold the communist element.
If it happens, we as a nation could not imagine how the bloody tragedy in 1948 and the G30S PKI Rebellion in 1965 will be repeated. Anyway, they are murderer, why we are apologizing? It is an arm and leg cost.
*The author is a social observer and writer. He graduated from State Islamic University of Jakarta
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