JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com — September 30, 2015, marks the 50th anniversary of the G30S incident. That incident triggered a series of events that caused suffering for Indonesian citizens.
However, to this day, human rights issues remain unresolved. In this regard, the Setara Institute believes that an apology to the victims by the government on behalf of the state is an obligation that must be fulfilled by the state as part of its duty to protect its citizens.
“The government’s apology to the victims is an admission that the government and the state failed to protect their citizens,” said Setara Institute Vice Chair Bonar Tigor Naipospos at his office in Jakarta on Monday (September 28, 2015).
Bonar added that such an apology could also demonstrate the government’s sincerity and commitment to restoring the victims’ rights and status as part of the process of social justice. However, Bonar emphasized that this apology should not be misinterpreted as an apology directed at a specific group or organization—in this case, the PKI.
According to him, the state does not need to apologize to the PKI, but to the Indonesian citizens who were victims of the state’s failure to act.
“Don’t just look at the events of September 30 or October 1, but at the chain of events linked to them—most of whom were not involved in the G30S,” said Bonar.
He added that the victims are actually demanding something simple: the restoration of their rights and dignity.
“In reality, they don’t care whether the state apologizes or not; what they want is the truth,” added Bonar.