Airgram A-298: The Situation in Indonesia after the Coup Attempt, 23 Oktober 1965

=== [PDF page 1] === A-298 SECRET GROUP 4 met ae, eationily declassified after PLEASE PASS USIA =e Ameubassy DJAKARTA October 23, 1965 Efforts of Political Moderates to Help the Arny Destroy the PKI and Pitfalls in the Current Political Situation. DECLASSIFIED Authority NW ) ( 1 2 34 1. The enclosed memorandum of conversation with Mr. A. Bujung Nasution, an assistant to the Indonesian Attorney General, conveys some of the flavor of the current post-September 30 political atmosphere in Indonesia as viewed by an Indonesian moderate who has actively entered the fray. Perhaps its greatest significance is the indication it gives that « part of Indonesia's able middle class which in recent years has been politically inert is coming forward at this time to challenge the leftward course of Indonesian events. 2. In addition to the enclosed comments by Mr. Nasution, there is public evidenes of his active involvement. On both October 20 and 21 the armed forces newspaper, Angkatan Bersendjata, carried by-line articles by Nasution calling upon all organizations in the society to whe helped prepare the ground for the articles state that the time has come for every person to take a stand. No longer can people await orders or é He recalls how agitators E.B. Masters === [PDF page 2] === 4 Page 2; A-298 Sie ‘From Djskarte wrote, accusations, demonstrations and distortions, Nasution should be no more place for then either in goverament or prise. ol Bre === [PDF page 3] === tad Macl. 1; page 1 | Pe EC] ASSIFIED | ye, a MEMORARDUM OF CONVERSATION Subject: The Situation in Indonesia after the Coup Attempt and Efforts of Indonesian Moderates to Assict the Army to Destroy the PEI. Participants: Ur. A. Bujung BASUTION, &.H., Assistant to the Attorney General of Indonesia. Robert G. Rich, Jr., Second Secretary of Bubassy Place: Bjekarta, Indonesia Dates: October 15 and 19, 1965 1. Mr. Masution, who has been an ecqueintance of the reporting officer for two years, but previously has refrained from discussing iuternal Indonesian politics, contacted me at his initiative and asked for a meeting to discuss the current situstion. The following details emerged in two successive conversations on October 15 and 19, 1965. 2. Masution said that the present situation offered a unique and === [PDF page 4] === SECRET Bncl. 1; page 2 A-298, Djakarte been shocked several days previously to hear Redio Malaysia refer to pessible Army executions of Communist cadres. He emphasized that the key to the present situation remained Sukarno. Sukarne was always ready to grab on to foreign press reports and use them against those forces in the country which were currently trying to crush the PKI. The extent of Army repression of the PKI was being carefully kept from Sukarno. While Sukarno would probably hear reports to this effect, it was very important that he not be able to cite particular sources such as foreign radio and press reports since emphasis on these aspects in the foreign press would not only incite Sukarno to crack down on the Army's activities but also encourage him to wrongfully eccuse military leaders of aiding and abetting Wekolim. Mr. Nasution particularly stressed the delicate position of Indonesian moderates at this time. They currently have the initiative, but meed more time to bresk the back of PKI strength. Te do this Sukarno must not be handed ammmition from sbroad which he can turn against the Army and its supporters. 4. The reporting officer stressed that the U5 Government was fully aware of the sensitive nature of current events end was making every effort to avoid stimulating press speculation which would redound to the detriment of moderate forces in Indonesia at this time. It was noted, however, that the USG@ has no control over its press. S. WMasution spoke of Sukarno as @ man whose image in the country was irrevocably shattered for the long run and yet who still held a preeminent psychological position which the Army could not challenge directly. A distinct danger foreseen by the moderates at present was that Sukarno and Subendrio might yet be able to divert public attention an alleged Nekolim threat and blawe the US and “imperialists” in for attempting to set Indonesians against themselves in early @ctober, He noted the difficulty, and even impossibility, of pursuing @ course of denials and refutations of spurious charges which might 4m this connection and recalled the effectiveness with which the filler dayuar neg eadyreduy emery Ee im Sukarno even turning against 2 long term friend, yer than be placed on the defensive by such charges, he ing ell our efforts in getting the true story of what; people in its fullest extent. By repeated appened, little opening would be permitted for ng for evidence of Subandrio's connection ent, however, the Arny and moderate groups === [PDF page 5] === SECRET Bucl. 1; page 3 4-298, Djekarte participation. He asked specifically whether the American Babassy could provide any firm evidence of Subandrio’s links with the PKI or with Commmist China. 6. Hasution stated that some elements in the Army had raised the possibility of freeing former Masjuni and PSI leaders who had been in jail since the PRRI rebellion. “We” have told the Army, Nasution said, that the important thing at present is te protect these moderate figures where they are, in jail, and preserve their safety for the future. The pelitical scene is still too delicate to consider their overt release at this time and they are perhaps safer in jail than any where else. Biographic Kote 7. Mr. Nasution is an intelligent and soft spoken young lawyer who @id some university study im Australia. Throughout the reporting efficer's two-year acquaintance with him he has deplored the leftist trend of Indonesian politics. Until the September 30 coup attempt, » he had never indicated any overt political participation himself. has worked in the intelligence and security sections of the Attorney General's office prior to being appointed a special aide to the Attorney General in 1964. He was in charge of security arrangements for 0.8. Attorney General Robert Kennedy during the latter's 1961 visit to Indonesia and has frequently spoken of his considerable admiration for the Kennedys as a result of that experience. Up until 1963 Nasution had for some time also been a member of the Indonesian Film Board Censor Committee for foreign films but had been removed from this group when it became more leftist oriented. MNasution is a Moslem Mendailing Batak from the same part of Sumatra as his famous namesake at the head of the Indonesian Armed Forces. === [PDF page 6] === NATIONAL SECURITY ARCHIVE National Security Archive, Suite 701, Gelman Library, The George Washington University, 2130 H Street, NW, Washington, D.C., 20037, Phone: 202/994-7000, Fax: 202/994-7005, nsarchiv@gwu.edu