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Salvo of approval greets TNI chief's recruitment move
The TNI commander continues on his mission to polish the tarnished image of the military apparatus by offering progressive views on matters of civil liberties.
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In this undated file photo, visitors gather at the Pancasila Sakti Monument in East Jakarta to commemorate a failed coup attempt in 1965 that was blamed on the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI). Family members and other people associated with the PKI continue to face discrimination even today, despite having little to do with the events of the past. Last week, Indonesian Military (TNI) Commander Gen. Andika Perkasa sought to end such broad strokes policy in the recruitment of military personnel. (JP/Charisa Vanessa G)
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ndonesian Military (TNI) commander Gen. Andika Perkasa has garnered wide praise in the past week for his declaration that descendants of members of the defunct Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) are welcome to join the armed forces, the latest in his efforts to display his pro-civil rights credentials and polish the TNI’s often-problematic reputation.
Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Mahfud MD has since appeared to play down the general’s pronouncement, by saying that anyone linked to the PKI would have been free to join the ranks of the military or any other branch of the civil service anyway.
The senior security minister said that the Constitutional Court was actually the first to pave the way for descendants of former PKI members to be able to achieve their political rights.
“The requirements, for instance, to become candidates for the legislature or regional governments no longer have such conditions. Civil servants have also not faced it [being disbarred for family links to the PKI] for a long time, so the TNI is hardly the first in this regard,” Mahfud said on Sunday, as quoted by Tempo.co.
Nevertheless, Andika’s words have appeased the relatives of victims of the 1965 communist purge and led analysts to expect a fairer and nondiscriminatory TNI recruitment policy.
Bedjo Untung, the chairman of the Foundation of Victims of the 1965-1966 Killings (YPKP65), described the development as “a breath of fresh air”.
“I was very excited when I first heard the news. And when I conveyed this to the victims of the 1965 killings, their responses were similar – they were happy with the development,” Bedjo told The Jakarta Post on Saturday.
