Komnas HAM Backs TNI Chief Allowing Ex-PKI Descendants to be Soldiers

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) has expressed support for National Defense Forces (TNI) Chief General Andika Perkasa's step to allow the descendants of former political prisoners of the now defunct Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) to join TNI.

"Komnas HAM highly lauds the recruitment of TNI soldiers which no longer discriminate against the descendants of ex-PKI political prisoners," Komnas HAM Chief Ahmad Taufan Damanik said here on Sunday.

Limiting the descendants of ex-PKI political prisoners to join TNI is against the law and constitution, he said.

The constitution stipulates that every citizen has the same right and must not be treated discriminatively for unlawful reason, he said.

He said the TNI chief's step refers to Provision of the Temporary People's Consultative Assembly (TAP MPR XXV/1966) banning communism, Leninism and Marxism. This means that the ban does not apply to the descendants of ex-PKI political prisoners that are not entirely related to the ideology or political party of their parents, grandparents, or families.

"We cannot impose ""inherited sins" on their children and grandchildren," he said.

He said the TNI chief's step is aimed at upholding equal human rights for every citizen in the country.

During the New Order period, many descendants of ex-PKI political prisoners could not become civil servants and pursue higher education.

"They were denied of their basic fundamental rights in education, and employment for tens of years. Should we let this recur?," he said.

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