State Not to Offer Apology to Indonesian Communist Party, Says President

Jakarta, 22 Ramadan 1437/28 Juni 2016 (MINA) – Indonesian President Joko Widodo reiterated here on Monday that the state has never had plans to offer an apology to now-defunct Indonesian Communist Party (PKI).

“Actually, I have already stated this many times, during meetings with the executive boards of Muhammadiyah or Nahdlatul Ulama, community leaders and clerics, including at the ceremony to mark the Sanctity Day of Pancasila at Lubang Buaya last year,” he said in his speech at an iftar at the Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI) Headquarters in Cilangkap, East Jakarta.

President Joko Widodo, along with Vice President Jusuf Kalla, arrived at the venue at 17.15 pm, accompanied by a number of state officials including Coordinating Minister for Political, Security and Legal Affairs Luhut Pandjaitan, Agriculture Minister Amran Sulaiman and national police chief General Badrodin Haiti.

TNI Chief General Gatot Nurmantyo and three chiefs of staff welcomed the President upon arrival at the venue.

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President Joko Widodo expressed his disappointment over rumors that the state would apologize to the PKI.

He stated that the government would only focus on development efforts and maintaining peoples unity was a priority as it was akin to crucial capital to meet global competition.

“In order to build a better future so that no such thing happens again, we must strive for unity as it would help develop the nation which is prepared to compete and is capable of ensuring the welfare to its people,” he pleaded.

He underlined that the government would accord priority to safeguarding the country’s territorial integrity and will work to thwart any possible threats to the integrity of the Unitary State of Indonesia.

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Despite many academic studies used as references for meeting the threats, President Joko Widodo stressed that the government still believed that territorial integrity was a key requirement.

The PKI has so far been believed to be behind the abortive coup in 1965 that led to the deaths of many army generals and also common people following operations to crush its followers later. (T/R07/R01)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)

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