1914

Henk Sneevliet (1883-1942) founds the Indische Sociaal-Democratische Vereeniging (Indies Social-Democratic Association or ISDA) in Surabaya, East Java. This small leftist party is the first Communist party in Asia outside the Russian sphere.

1924

In its Ninth Congress in 1924, ISDA changes its name to Partai Komunis Indonesia (the Indonesian Communist Party or PKI).

Nov. 1926 '€“ Jan. 1927

PKI uprising breaks out in Banten, Batavia, Priangan and Sumatra.

1927

The party is outlawed by the Dutch East Indies government.

Sept. 18, 1948

Muso, the PKI leader, declares the '€œIndonesian Soviet State'€. One day later, Madiun, East Java, falls under the control of the PKI, which makes the city its headquarters.

Sept. 1955

In the general election, PKI comes fourth with 16% of the vote. It wins 39 seats (out of 257) and 80 out of 514 in the Constituent Assembly.

1960

Sukarno launches the slogan Nasakom, an abbreviation of nasionalisme (Nationalism), agama (Religion), komunisme (Communism). Thus the role of PKI as a junior partner in the Sukarno polity is institutionalized.

Mar. 1962

 

PKI joins the government. PKI leaders D.N. Aidit and Njoto are named advisory ministers.

Sept. 30 '€“ Oct. 1, 1965

Six of Indonesia'€™s top generals are killed and their bodies thrown down a well. The generals'€™ killers announce the following morning that a new Revolutionary Council has seized power, calling itself the '€œ30 September Movement'€ ('€œG30S'€).

Oct. 2, 1965

Maj. Gen. Soeharto takes control of the army and puts down the abortive coup.

Oct. 13, 1965

Islamic organization Ansor holds anti-PKI rallies across Java

Oct.18, 1965

The killings start. Violence against people associated with the PKI takes place across the country, but the worst massacres are in Java and Bali.

Nov. 22, 1965

Aidit is killed in Yogyakarta as he tries to escape.

Mar. 12, 1966

The PKI and all its mass organizations are banned.

1968

Gen. Soeharto out-maneuvers Sukarno politically and is appointed a president.

Oct. 10, 1975

Soeharto institutionalizes the authority given to him by Sukarno to restore order and security by establishing Kopkamtib (Security and Order Operational Command), which is recognized formally by Sukarno on 1 November.

1984

The 271-minute docudrama Pengkhianatan G30S PKI (The Treachery of G30S/PKI) is released and declared as obligatory viewing for all. It is screened on television annually on Sept. 30.

1999

During his presidency, Abdurrahman Wahid invites former PKI exiles to return to Indonesia and proposes removing restrictions against them and holding an open discussion on Communist ideology.

2000

President Abdurrahman '€œGus Dur'€ Wahid apologizes to the victims of 1965 on behalf of Pemuda Ansor, the youth wing of the largest Islamic Organization Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), for its involvement in the 1965 episode.

Jan. 2002

The government drafts a bill to deal with past human rights abuses committed during both the Sukarno and Soeharto regimes, offering pardons to the suspects who are ready to be reconciled with their victims and paying them compensation. The bill mandates the establishment of a truth and reconciliation commission to oversee the reconciliation process.

2004

The House of Representative passes the bill into a law.

Dec. 2006

The Constitutional Court scraps the 2004 law on the grounds that it makes no sense. The surprising ruling further sets back the chances of victims of human rights violations having their cases resolved and receiving compensation.

2012

The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) files an investigation into the 1965 massacre, declaring it a gross human rights violation, to the Attorney General'€™s Office (AGO)

July, 2012

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono orders AGO to follow up the report.

Oct. 2012

The government rejects the findings in the report.

2014

Presidential candidate Jokowi pledges to resolve human rights abuses and includes this mission in his nine main programs (Nawacita)

Aug. 2015

The House of Representatives criticizes the government'€™s plan to issue an apology to families and victims of the 1965 Communist purge.

Sept. 1, 2015

The government prepares a comprehensive mechanism to reconcile with all victims of gross human rights violations, including those who suffered from the 1965 Communist purge.

Sept. 23, 2015

Jokowi says in a closed meeting with Muhammadiyah, the country'€™s second-largest Muslim organization that he does not plan to issue an apology to the 1965 victims and families, a step deemed important in the reconciliation process.

 

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JP/Budhi Hartono, Swi

Source: Research and information center The Jakarta Post