International Tribunal Holds Indonesia Accountable for 1965 Genocide

An international judicial panel has deemed Indonesia responsible for the mass killings of 1965, labeling them crimes against humanity with estimated casualties between 400,000 and 500,000. The panel accused the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia of complicity. Despite recommendations for reparative actions, the Indonesian government dismissed these findings, describing their handling of the issue as autonomous.

An international panel of judges has gathered substantial evidence and concluded that Indonesia’s mass killings during the 1965 anti-communist purges constitute crimes against humanity. The report indicates that between 400,000 and 500,000 individuals, primarily perceived to be associated with the Indonesian Communist Party, were slain by military death squads during this period, although the official figures remain ambiguous due to government secrecy. Presiding over the tribunal was former South African Constitutional Court Justice Zak Yacoob, who led a four-day hearing in November, where testimony was gathered from over twenty witnesses, some of whom were granted anonymity for their safety. The report paints a grim picture of these events, highlighting instances of inhumane torture, wrongful imprisonment, forced labor closely resembling enslavement, systematic sexual violence, political persecution, and the enforced disappearance of dissenters to the Suharto regime.

The 1965 bloodbath in Indonesia was ignited by a failed coup that resulted in the assassination of several high-ranking military officials. General Suharto attributed the coup to communist elements, which facilitated a brutal crackdown on perceived communists, leading to the ousting of President Sukarno. Following this, Suharto assumed the presidency in 1967 and maintained authoritarian control until 1998. Human rights organizations have long estimated the death toll to be as high as one million, pointing out that the victims were often not communists but included ethnic Chinese and other perceived leftist sympathizers. The International People’s Tribunal (IPT) was established in 2014 aiming to address the lack of official justice for these atrocities, necessitated by the absence of a domestic and credible transitional justice process.

In summary, the findings of the international tribunal underscore the heinous nature of the 1965 Indonesian purges, categorizing them as crimes against humanity, and reveal the complicity of Western powers in these violations. The tribunal’s recommendations for an official apology and compensation have been rebuffed by Indonesian officials, indicating ongoing challenges in reconciling the historical narrative and pursuing justice for the victims of this tragic chapter in Indonesian history.

Original Source: www.cnn.com