Support For The TNI Commander After Giving The Green Light For PKI Descendants Who Want To Be Soldiers

TNI Commander General Andika/Photo: Antara

JAKARTA - TNI Commander General Andika Perkasa's move to allow descendants of members of the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) to register as soldiers has received support. This decision is also considered not to be overly worried because it has been carried out according to the laws and regulations.

Andika lifted the ban on descendants of PKI members who wanted to become TNI soldiers. This was decided through a meeting to accept TNI soldiers including TNI Academy cadets, TNI Career Soldier Officers, TNI Career Private Officers and TNI Career Soldiers for the 2022 Fiscal Year which was attended by the Head of the TNI, Inspector General of the TNI and the Dankodiklat TNI.

At that time, Andika said that if there was a selection committee that thwarted a candidate for reasons of PKI descent, then the decision had no legal basis.

“What is prohibited is the PKI, the second is the teachings of Communism, Marxism, and Leninism. That's what's written," said Andika conveying the contents of MPRS XXV/1966 Decree (TAP) as broadcast on General TNI Andika Perkasa's YouTube channel.

The former Army Chief of Staff (KSAD) then asked his staff in charge of the selection of TNI soldiers to remove the question of kinship with PKI members. Because, Andika judged, this question was made up.

"Let's not make it up. I am a person who obeys the laws and regulations. Remember this. We forbid, make sure we have a legal basis," he said.

General Andika also ordered the Selection Committee not to make rules and prohibitions that have no legal basis, including those related to the kinship of prospective soldiers with the PKI and the PKI's underbow organizations.

"In my era, there is no longer (related prohibition, ed) descendants. No, because I use a legal basis," said Andika.

Andika's move was later responded to by military observer Beni Sukadis. He said this policy was nothing to worry about and become a debate because it was still in accordance with the applicable laws and regulations.

"I think that the steps taken by the TNI Commander Andika are still at the level of law and regulation. So actually there is no need to worry about it anymore," said Beni when contacted by VOI, Thursday, March 31.

Beni also thought that there was no need to worry too much about the descendants of the PKI who registered as military candidates. This is because they may have different political views from their predecessors.

"This means that those who will register as candidate members (TNI, ed) are already the third generation or grandchildren of descendants of political prisoners or PKI political prisoners," he said.

"So, from the social aspect and influence, maybe the perspective is different," he added.

In addition, the recruitment of the TNI is also carried out in a strict manner in terms of psychology and ideology. This means that excessive concern regarding the permission of PKI descendants to register as soldiers is deemed irrelevant.

"The question is, what is there to worry about with the entry of their descendants? Because from the TNI recruitment system there is a strict selection in psychological and ideological aspects," he said.

Should be followed by other agencies

The National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) also highlighted this policy and provided support. In fact, Komnas HAM Commissioner Beka Ulung Hapsara assessed that giving the green light for descendants of PKI members like Andika had also been followed by other government institutions.

Beka reasoned, this is in accordance with the human rights of every citizen. Where each individual has the same rights regardless of their background.

"Policies like this must also be implemented in other government institutions or agencies that still apply the old ways. Every citizen has the same right to participate in government and development," Beka said when contacted.

Beka said that Komnas HAM will fully support this decision. Apart from providing equality, what Andika decided was part of restoring the rights of the victim and the victim's family.

After all, it is time for all parties to remove the stigma and discrimination experienced by the descendants of the PKI. Because, this kind of thing often makes them traumatized and socially marginalized.

"From the perspective of victims and their families, policies like this are part of restoring the rights of victims and their families, especially the right to be free from stigma and discrimination," he stressed.

"It's time for us to together remove the stigma and discrimination that often evoke trauma and marginalize them socially and government," said Beka.