TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Community organization the Pancasila Front Group (Kelompok Front Pancasila) has rejected the ‘Membedah Tragedy 1965’ (Discussing the 1965 Tragedy) symposium to be held at Aryaduta Hotel on 18-19 April 2016.

"The goals of the symposium tends to rejuvenate communism ideology and as well as to force the government to apologize for the atrocity to PKI members," said Chairman of the group Shidki Wahab in a press conference in Jakarta on Saturday.

According to him, the symposium is against Pancasila, the 1945 Constitution, and TAP MPRS Number.XXV/MPRS of 196 on the ban of the Indonesian Communist Party as well as Marxism or Leninism ideologies.

Shidki added that people involved in the event allegedly have the aims to rejuvenate ideologies that were once banned during the New Order regime.

"If they indeed want to have a discussion through historical approaches, they should have invited competent experts or witnesses of history. However, in turns out that 85 – 90 percent of the participants are allegedly supporters of PKI," he said.

Shidki said that there are six reasons why the group rejected the symposium, among others: the symposium aims to legitimate PKI as the victims of human right violations; second, the symposium is used to put pressure against the government to apologize as well as to rehabilitation and compensation to former PKI member; thirds, the symposium is used to rejuvenate community ideology that is against Pancasila and the 1946 Constitution; fourth the symposium will only reopen the old wounds of the history and it is feared it will cause a new friction among the young generation; fourth, the reconciliation has been in place in a natural way and cannot be forced so former PKI members have been able to live in peace in the community; sixth, political and civil rights former PKI members and their next generations have been restored as proven by the elimination of the mark ‘ET’ (former political prisoner) in their residential ID card (KTP).

"Now there are many PKI cadres and their next generations who have become members of the House of Representatives (DPR), Regional Council (DPRD) or regional leaders,” “Shidqi concluded.

ANTARA