Victim of 1965 Exile in Amsterdam Shares Experience with Indonesian Officials

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – A victim of exile in 1965 who lived in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, Sri Budiarti or Ning recounted her experience of being insulted and judged as the Indonesian Women’s Movement (Gerwani).

This experience was recounted by Ning in front of the Coordinating Minister for Politics, Law and Security (Menko Polhukam) Mahfud MD and Minister of Law and Human Rights (Menkumham) Yasonna Laoly.

It is known that Ning and around 64 other exiles gathered and met with Mahfud and Yasonna in Amsterdam, the Netherlands on Sunday (27/8/2023) local time.

Also read: Victims of exile in 1965 question the fate of government policies after Jokowi’s resignation, Mahfud: will definitely continue

Ning said that since 1963 until now, he is still a member of the Indonesian Student Association (PPI) in Aachen, Germany. He then did get the status of a citizen of that country.

“In Aachen and I feel what is called stigma, what is called hatred,” Ning said at a meeting in Amsterdam, Sunday.

He recounted being cursed at by Gerwani’s words when he argued with a neighbor.

“If I am embarrassed, they say ‘You’re Gerwani’. In 2015 I was still cursed at ‘You aunt, this is Gerwani’ just because I had a different opinion,” said Ning.

Also read: Government Asked to Straighten History Related to Past Serious Human Rights Violations through Books

The arrival of Mahfud, Yasonna and their entourage to meet exiles in Europe is to hold a dialogue and try to restore their constitutional rights.

The victims of the 1965 exile were mostly former Service Association Students (Mahid) who were sent by the Soekarno government but were prevented from returning by President Soeharto.

This action was carried out by Mahfud as part of efforts to restore the rights of victims of past gross human rights violations at the direction of President Joko Widodo (Jokowi).

Meanwhile, Chairperson of the Watch 65 association which focuses on exile in 1965, Ratna Saptari said the victims were stigmatized as members of the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI). They were branded as communists and betrayed the country.

Also read: Government Asked to Issue Full Report of PPHAM Team to Public

Ratna was still wondering how to get rid of this stigma while TAP MPRS Number XXV/MPRS/1966 regarding the PKI was about the Dissolution of the Indonesian Communist Party, the Declaration as a Prohibited Organization in All Territories of the Republic of Indonesia had not been revoked.

According to Ratna, the problems arising from the TAP MPRS are very important, so it is necessary to take initial action on these legal products.

“This stigma will continue to be felt which will eventually criminalize the descendants of exiles, many of whom are still in the country and also those who are here,” said Ratna.

The legal process must be completed

On this occasion, another 1965 exile, Sungkono hopes that the government will also resolve the 1965 gross human rights violations through legal channels.

Sungkono appreciated President Jokowi’s policy of acting for humanity as it was given to exiles through non-judicial schemes.

Also read: Victims of exile in 1965 want to be buried in Indonesia, family says they should just sow ashes in the European sea

According to him, Jokowi also stated that the possibility of solving the 1965 case judicially was still open.

“And my demands are that the perpetrators and criminals of humanity must be dragged out and the movement of all Indonesian people to reveal the truth,” said Sungkono.

Apart from that, Sungkono also questioned President Jokowi’s reason as head of state for not yet conveying an apology to the victims of 1965.

In fact, the state has recognized the 1965 tragedy as a past gross human rights violation.

“I feel Pak Jokowi’s statement is still incomplete. If you have confessed such a big sin, how come you don’t apologize, you just regret it,” said Sungkono.

Also read: Mahfud to Victims of exile in 1965: You have never been guilty of this country

Meanwhile, Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Mahfud MD revealed that this action was an attempt by the government to fulfill the rights of victims of the 1965 exile.

This policy carries out President Jokowi’s order to resolve the non-judicial handling of victims of gross human rights violations in the past.

However, this policy will not deny the judicial settlement of past gross human rights violations.

“This is just preempting so that it doesn’t take too long, the victims are endless, we haven’t decided anything for this country, because it’s stuck in the DPR, stuck in the courts, and so on,” said Mahfud.

Also read: Victims of exile in 1965 were given facilities by the government to enter Indonesia

In a meeting in Prague, Czech Republic the next day, Mahfud told the exiles that they had done nothing wrong to the state.

Mahfud said his statement that the exiles did not carry out activities against the state and was innocent of the state was expressed by the Indonesian government.

“You are a citizen. You are lovers of the unitary state of the Republic of Indonesia and you have never wronged this country (Indonesia),” Mahfud said at a meeting in Prague, Czech which was broadcast virtually.

“So, right, there has been a statement from the government (the victims of the 1965 exile were innocent),” he said again.

Also read: The 1965 exiles must receive a recommendation from the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs to return to RI

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2023-08-29 22:33:00


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