T

o prevent a rapid return to the fearful, censored and militaristic days of the New Order, President Joko '€œJokowi'€ Widodo, after a year in office, can and must lay down the law. As recent developments show, the President has sent a clear indication of his views regarding freedom of expression, ending historical stigma, the battle against corruption, freedom from fear and the military'€™s non-defense role.

On all these issues the President needs to loudly and swiftly declare a clear stance to boost the spirit of continuing reformasi that got him elected.

Many understand his need to compromise with the sharks in the political sea. However, his silence over the recent deportation of a foreign national for visiting the grave of his slain ancestor, '€œrestrictions'€ on a campus magazine and the forced cancellation of certain sessions at an international literary event in Bali '€” all related to the 1960s upheaval '€” show too much compromise and silence on the part of the President, coincidentally just before his departure for a US state visit.

On Thursday human rights groups, press organizations and many individuals met with the National Human Rights Commission following the restriction on Lentera, a student magazine of the Satya Wacana Christian University (UKSW) in Salatiga, from being sold outside the campus. According to the campus leadership, the action was taken because it '€œfailed to follow procedures'€ and contained content that caused negative reactions. The restricted issue of Lentera had reported on the 1965 murders in the Central Java town, just one example of the increasing efforts to reveal our unresolved past: efforts mostly instigated by our curious and creative younger generation.

Earlier on Oct. 16 a Swedish citizen, Tom Iljas, who was among the scores of children orphaned in the 1965 upheaval, was deported and blacklisted from returning to Indonesia after he attempted to visit the grave of his father, who was killed in his hometown in Pesisir Selatan regency, West Sumatra.

Tom'€™s entourage was prevented from praying at the mass grave by the village head and they were reportedly then intimidated by a group of civilians and police.

This is a complete setback as many former exiles who, like Tom, lost their citizenship while on scholarships to various countries in the 1960s, but have been free to visit Indonesia in the reformasi era.

The 1965 issue is certainly sensitive and everyone claims to be a victim. But we must at least end the stigma and intimidation against anyone associated with the '€œwrong side'€ of '€™65.

Then ahead of next week'€™s annual Ubud Writers and Readers Festival(UWRF) in Bali, organizers announced the cancelation of sessions related to 1965 '€” rather than have police cancel the entire festival '€” leading to widespread outcry and international embarrassment.

Together with the '€œcivilian defense program'€ launched on Thursday and the proposed presidential draft allowing the military to play an increased role in civilian affairs, we will likely see more examples of an increasingly bold old guard.

The President needs to appease the influential groups around him, but not at the cost of turning reformasi on its head. By taking a stance of unequivocal intolerance of inhumane and undemocratic attitudes, Jokowi will see some resurgence of his dwindling support.