Apart From PKI Descendants, The Policy Of Commander General Andika Regarding The TNI Entrance Test Must Be Felt By Religious Groups

JAKARTA - The Setara Institute is of the opinion that the decision by the Commander of the Indonesian National Armed Forces, General Andika Perkasa, to allow descendants of the PKI to take the military admissions test in 2022 can erode discrimination.

"This policy of the TNI Commander should be given a thumbs up and received high appreciation," said Deputy Chairperson of the Setara Institute Governing Body, Bonar Tigor Naipospos in a written statement in Jakarta, Antara, Thursday, March 31.

According to him, the events of 1965 have been happening for more than 50 years and those who are descendants of the PKI and its sympathizers are currently the third (grandchildren) and fourth (grandchildren) generations.

Therefore, said Tigor, it is an irrational and inhuman act if they continue to bear hereditary sins and are treated unequally as citizens.

"It is time for this nation to make peace with its past history. Every citizen, regardless of social background, as long as they are not involved in unlawful acts has the right to donate their energy to be part of Indonesia's defense," said Tigor.

The Setara Institute hopes that the TNI Commander's decision should be a new breakthrough for this nation in reflecting and reconciling the events of 1965.

"It's time to end the chain of stigma and banality. This includes efforts to make the 1965 incident a commodity for certain groups to corner their political competitors," he explained.

The Setara Institute has also asked the TNI Commander to pay attention to complaints from religious groups who want to donate their energy to become TNI soldiers.

According to the records of the Setara Institute, those who are descendants of the religious group experience obstacles and discrimination when they want to register via online or online forms.

This is because in the form there is no column for religion and belief for followers. So even if they insist on becoming TNI soldiers, they have to choose another religion and belief.

In fact, in other government institutions as well as in the police, such obstacles were not found.

The absence of a column for religious groups in the online form to become TNI soldiers, said Tigor, is clearly contrary to the Adminduk Constitution No. 24 of 2013 and the Decree of the Constitutional Court of November 2017 which states that citizens have the right to fill in the religion column and ID card in accordance with their respective beliefs.

"The TNI Commander should take corrective steps so that religious groups have the same opportunities and opportunities as citizens to become TNI soldiers," he said.

Andika Perkasa made three breakthroughs at the 2022 TNI Admissions Coordination Meeting, namely the abolition of the swimming test, the abolition of academic tests, and the abolition of the ban on descendants of members of the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) as candidates for TNI soldiers.