Background
September 30, 1965, is a date that will forever be etched in the memory of Indonesians. It was the day that a group of Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) members launched a failed coup attempt against the government of President Sukarno. The failure of the coup led to a bloody anti-communist purge that resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people.
The Coup Attempt
The coup attempt was carried out by a group of young officers from the Indonesian army calling themselves the Thirtieth of September Movement. Their aim was to overthrow President Sukarno and install a communist government in Indonesia. The coup was poorly planned and executed, and it failed within a few hours.
However, the coup did succeed in killing six of the seven army generals, who were seen by the PKI as obstacles to their power grab. The seventh general, Suharto, managed to escape and went on to lead the anti-communist purge that followed.
The Anti-Communist Purge
After the failed coup attempt, the army, led by Suharto, launched a brutal campaign to root out and eliminate the PKI and its sympathizers. The campaign, known as the anti-communist purge, lasted for several years and resulted in the deaths of an estimated 500,000 to 1 million people.
The purge was marked by widespread human rights abuses, including torture, rape, and arbitrary detention. The army and its allied militias carried out mass killings and forced disappearances of suspected communists and their families.
The Legacy of 30 September
The events of 30 September and the subsequent anti-communist purge had a profound impact on Indonesian society. The country’s political landscape was transformed, and the PKI was effectively destroyed as a political force.
The legacy of 30 September is still felt in Indonesia today. The events of that day continue to be a source of controversy and debate, with some Indonesians seeing the coup attempt as a heroic effort to bring about a more equitable society, while others see it as a betrayal of the nation’s ideals.
Conclusion
The events of 30 September 1965 were a dark chapter in Indonesian history. The failed coup attempt and the subsequent anti-communist purge resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people and had a profound impact on the country’s political and social fabric.
While Indonesia has made great strides in the years since the purge, the legacy of 30 September continues to be felt. It is important that we remember this tragic event and work to ensure that such atrocities never happen again.
