Remarks of President of the Republic of Indonesia After the Launching of the Program for the Implementation of Non-Judicial Recommendations on Past Gross Human Rights Violations in Indonesia, at Rumoh Geudong, Pidie Regency, Aceh Province, June 27, 2023

Bismillahirrahmanirrahim.

Assalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh,

Good afternoon,

May peace be upon us all.

Distinguished Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs and all ministers of the Indonesia Onward Cabinet, all heads of institutions, Commander of the Indonesian National Defense Forces (TNI), Chief of the Indonesian National Police (Polri), Governor of Aceh and all members of Aceh Regional Leadership Coordination Forum (Forkopimda), Regents of Pidie, North Aceh, and South Aceh.

Distinguished ladies and gentlemen who are present here and online, especially victims and/or heirs of victims,

Today we gather in person as well as virtually in Pidie regency, Aceh province to heal the wounds of the people due to past gross human rights violations that placed a heavy burden on the victims and their families. Therefore, these wounds must immediately be healed so that we can move forward. And at the beginning of last January, I decided that the Government should take a non-judicial process that focuses on the reparation of the rights of victims without negating judicial mechanisms.

And today we are grateful, thank God, that we can begin to repair the rights of victims of past gross human rights violations that occurred in 12 tragedies. It also marks our joint commitment to taking preventive measures in order to avoid similar tragedies in the future.

I received a report from Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs that the victims and families of victims in Aceh have begun receiving trainings to improve occupational skills, health insurance, Family Hope Program assistance, home improvement assistance, and assistance for other facility development.

For that reason, for those who received a scholarship, please come up here.

Stand near me, don’t be afraid. Please introduce yourself.

Akbar Maulana (Family of a victim of past gross human rights violations)

My name is Akbar Maulana.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)

Akbar Maulana. What should I call you, Maulana or Akbar?

Akbar Maulana (Family of a victim of past gross human rights violations)

Akbar.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)

Akbar it is. Akbar, what grade are you in?

Akbar Maulana (Family of a victim of past gross human rights violations)

Second grade of vocational high school.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)

Second grade of senior high school?

Akbar Maulana (Family of a victim of past gross human rights violations)

Vocational high school.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)

Second grade of vocational high school in Pidie?

Akbar Maulana (Family of a victim of past gross human rights violations)

In Nisam, North Aceh, Sir.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)

Oh, Nisam, North Aceh. Can you tell me a little about the incident? The one you heard from your parents or neighbors.

Akbar Maulana (Family of a victim of past gross human rights violations)

A story about Simpang KKA incident?

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)

Yes, a story about the incident at KKA junction. Oh, this is the Simpang KKA incident. Yes, please do tell me a little about what you know.

Akbar Maulana (Family of a victim of past gross human rights violations)

Well, at that time, my father was on his way home from school.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)

Your father was on his way home.

Akbar Maulana (Family of a victim of past gross human rights violations)

He was still a student and still young.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)

Oh, still young, still at school. What grade was he in at the time?

Akbar Maulana (Family of a victim of past gross human rights violations)

I don’t know.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)

Okay, then? He went home. Was he in senior/vocational high school or…?

Akbar Maulana (Family of a victim of past gross human rights violations)

Senior high school.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)

He went home, then?

Akbar Maulana (Family of a victim of past gross human rights violations)

Many people huddled together in front of the KKA junction entrance.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)

Many people huddled together in front of the KKA junction entrance, yes.

Akbar Maulana (Family of a victim of past gross human rights violations)

My father…

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)

Your father went to… why did he go there?

Akbar Maulana (Family of a victim of past gross human rights violations)

There was a crowd, so he followed them.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)

There was a crowd, so he followed them. That was it?

Akbar Maulana (Family of a victim of past gross human rights violations)

He was curious, Sir.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)

Curious, and then? Who told you the story?

Akbar Maulana (Family of a victim of past gross human rights violations)

My father.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)

Okay, and then?

Akbar Maulana (Family of a victim of past gross human rights violations)

He was shot.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)

He was shot there?

Akbar Maulana (Family of a victim of past gross human rights violations)

Yes.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)

Yes, and then? You were born? What is the story?

Akbar Maulana (Family of a victim of past gross human rights violations)

My father ducked.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)

Ducked, then?

Akbar Maulana (Family of a victim of past gross human rights violations)

I don’t know what happened after that.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)

Then?

Akbar Maulana (Family of a victim of past gross human rights violations)

He did not tell me everything. How would I know?

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)

Not everything was told, so you have no idea.

Akbar Maulana (Family of a victim of past gross human rights violations)

Yes.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)

So how many years has it been since the incident? How old were you back then?

Akbar Maulana (Family of a victim of past gross human rights violations)

I had not been born.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)

Oh, you had not been born. Wait, your father got involved in the incident, correct?

Akbar Maulana (Family of a victim of past gross human rights violations)

Yes, my father. When he was still a student, not me, when he was young.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)

When he was young.

Akbar Maulana (Family of a victim of past gross human rights violations)

Yes.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)

Why had you not been born?

Akbar Maulana (Family of a victim of past gross human rights violations)

No, I had not.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)

Your father was not married yet?

Akbar Maulana (Family of a victim of past gross human rights violations)

No, he was not.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)

Okay, alright, then what scholarship did you get?

Akbar Maulana (Family of a victim of past gross human rights violations)

A scholarship and Healthy Indonesia Card.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)

Yes, a scholarship to study at a vocational high school and a university?

Akbar Maulana (Family of a victim of past gross human rights violations)

Yes, Sir.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)

University as well?

Akbar Maulana (Family of a victim of past gross human rights violations)

Yes, it is included.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)

Yes?

Akbar Maulana (Family of a victim of past gross human rights violations)

Yes.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)

I have not checked what you got, scholarship for vocational high school and university. Since the minister is not here, I cannot ask him. Is that correct, Coordinating Minister? Yes? Yes, clear. Is there anything you want to say at this forum, Akbar? No?

Akbar Maulana (Family of a victim of past gross human rights violations)

I don’t know.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)

You don’t know. Alright. Congratulations. Thank you, Akbar. Thank you. I still have not a grasp on the story.

This afternoon, there are two people from Russia and from the Czech Republic, Mr. Suryo Martono from Czech Republic and Mr. Sudaryanto Priyono from Russia. You may please come to the stage. They flew far from the Czech Republic and Russia. What I understand—I have not talked much with these men. We just met here. What I understand is that there was a scholarship for university students, wasn’t there, Sir?

Suryo Martono (A victim of past gross human rights violations)

Yes, there was.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)

And they were sent from Indonesia to Russia and the Czech Republic, then there was the ’65 incident and they could not return to Indonesia. Imagine, they were still university students. Perhaps Mr. Suryo Martono can share the story in brief.

Suryo Martono (A victim of past gross human rights violations)

Yes. On September 30, 1965, there was an incident in Indonesia concerning a coup d’etat. What we learned was that the coup was orchestrated by Soekarno. And for me personally, that made zero sense because Mr. Soekarno has already become the president and had a strong position.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)

How old were you back then?

Suryo Martono (A victim of past gross human rights violations)

I was 22 [years old].

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)

You were 22. Where did you study?

Suryo Martono (A victim of past gross human rights violations)

In the Czech Republic.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)

At a university in the Czech Republic.

Suryo Martono (A victim of past gross human rights violations)

Yes, at a school of economy.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)

At a school of economy in the Czech Republic with a scholarship from which country?

Suryo Martono (A victim of past gross human rights violations)

From the state via Ministry of Higher Education and Science (PTIP).

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)

You were sent by the state via PTIP fully financed by the state.

Suryo Martono (A victim of past gross human rights violations)

Yes, on condition that after we graduated, we had to work for the state for at least three years.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)

Oh, with work commitment. You had to work for the state for three years, but due to the ’65 incident, you could not return?

Suryo Martono (A victim of past gross human rights violations)

That is correct.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)

You could not return or you were afraid to return?

Suryo Martono (A victim of past gross human rights violations)

I could not return because my passport was revoked. It happened to me and 16 of my Indonesian friends who studied in the Czechoslovakia back then.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)

All of your passports were revoked?

Suryo Martono (A victim of past gross human rights violations)

They were all revoked because we refused to sign the agreement on the establishment of the new government.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)

Then how old are you now, Mr. Suryo Martono? You were 22 and how old are you now?

Suryo Martono (A victim of past gross human rights violations)

80.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)

80?

Suryo Martono (A victim of past gross human rights violations)

Yes, in December.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)

You look like you are 40.

Suryo Martono (A victim of past gross human rights violations)

Thank you, Sir.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)

Mr. Sudaryanto, were you also sent by the state with a scholarship?

Sudaryanto Priyono (A victim of past gross human rights violations)

Yes, I was sent by Indonesia’s Department of Cooperatives and Transmigration.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)

Sent by Department of Cooperatives.

Sudaryanto Priyono (A victim of past gross human rights violations)

Then I became a student at Moscow Institute of Cooperative Trade.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)

You studied at Moscow Institute of Cooperative Trade.

Sudaryanto Priyono (A victim of past gross human rights violations)

Yes, using a scholarship from the Soviet Union Government.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)

Oh, the scholarship was from Soviet Government?

Sudaryanto Priyono (A victim of past gross human rights violations)

Yes.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)

Okay, then?

Sudaryanto Priyono (A victim of past gross human rights violations)

Then after the ’65 incident, I did not meet the screening criteria when it was done because there was a requirement to curse Mr. Soekarno. I did not accept that and eventually a week after that, I received a notice that my passport has been revoked and I lost my citizenship.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)

Then you have been living in Russia since then?

Sudaryanto Priyono (A victim of past gross human rights violations)

Yes.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)

In Moskow?

Sudaryanto Priyono (A victim of past gross human rights violations)

Yes. After that, I got an insurance from the Soviet Union Government to continue my study and finish school, then they gave me a job. However, I have retired, so I left it. And I once became a lecturer at Russian University of Cooperation. I became a dean and have made several visits to Indonesia, made discussions with universities in Indonesia, read little information. So, the relation with Indonesia after 2000 was back to normal. Then the Indonesian Government gave me a chance to visit Indonesia whenever necessary.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)

Mr. Daryanto and Mr. Suryo, do you want to be an Indonesian citizen again?

Sudaryanto Priyono (A victim of past gross human rights violations)

I have planned it, Sir, because I no longer live alone. I have already had three grandchildren.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)

Oh, you already have an extended family. Where is your wife from?

Sudaryanto Priyono (A victim of past gross human rights violations)

Russia.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)

It is possible that she would not want to live in Indonesia, isn’t it?

Sudaryanto Priyono (A victim of past gross human rights violations)

Yes, but I think she will agree if I convince her.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)

What about you, Mr. Suryo?

Suryo Martono (A victim of past gross human rights violations)

I still don’t have such a plan because this kind of situation is a surprise for me. I did not think that these measures would be taken when I am still alive. Frankly, this is an historical event, not only for me. I am a nobody now, especially for the young generation.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)

If you want to be Indonesian citizens again, I will be happy and I think we all will be happy. It shows that the state does protect its citizens.

Suryo Martono (A victim of past gross human rights violations)

Thank you, Sir.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo)

Mr. Suryo, Mr. Daryanto, thank you. Please return to your seats. Thank you.

Yes, Indonesia is a big country, so there are events that occur. Sometimes good things happen, but sometimes incidents happen. And I suppose it is normal. Other countries must have such a history.

Therefore, once again, the Government sincerely intends to settle past gross human rights violations in Indonesia following the recommendations in Government Regulation on Human Rights. And to the victims or heirs of the victims, I thank you for your patience to accept this process after such a long wait.

I am sure that nothing goes in vain. I hope the start of this good process opens a way to heal the wounds of the people and becomes the start of a just, peaceful, and prosperous life based on protection and respect of human rights and humanity.

That concludes my statement and by saying bismillahirrahmanirrahim, this afternoon I officially launch the Implementation Program of Non-Judicial Recommendations for Past Gross Human Rights Violations in Indonesia.

I thank you.

Wassalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

(DH/RAS)