Airgram A-386: The PKI Hunt in Central Java, 10 Desember 1965

=== [PDF page 1] === CONFIDENTIAL A-386 CONFIDENTIAL Le SEC STATE WASHINGTON GROUP 3 Downgrade each 12 yrs; (ae INFO: MEDAN, SURABAYA automatically declassi fie Amembassy DJAKARTA December 10, 1965 The PKI Hunt in Central Java 1. The “Coordinator” of Catholic Party activities in the Pati residency of Central Java, Suhandjo (of Chinese extraction), provided the reporting officer with the following description of anti-PKI operations in that region which may be typical of activities throughout the province. 2. Paracommando (RPKAD) troops on errival in Kudus solicited the assistance of the Catholic, IP-KI and Nahdlatul Ulama party organizationgin rooting out PKI elements. All cooperated and the Nehdlatul Ulama as the region's principal anti-commmist party provided the bulk of the support. The NU youth arm Ansor, however, has caused problems as its brutal attacks on PRI elements in villages surrounding Kudus have been extended to non-PKI victims involved in personal feuds with Ansor members. 3. Suhandjo was responsible for singling out members of the Chinese association Baperki for the military. He showed the reporting officer a list of over 200 Baperki members which he had furnished the Army and which constituted a "Who's Who" of the Kudus business community. Suhandjo noted that all on the list would eventually be interrogated and those who had clearly been Baperki activists would be detained indefinitely. A separate list of 20 names included Baperki leaders who were due for more intensive grilling but many of whom had disappeared. 4. The Paracommando units, Suhandjo added, had a generally good rapport with the local population as most were Central Javanese. They were very tough on the communist sympathizers, however. CONFIDENTIAL POL:PPGardner/ac 12/9/65 POL: RJMartens DECL Authriy’ ND 2.795 4 CONFIDENTIAL === [PDF page 2] === COUFIDERTEAL Page 2, A-386 From Djakarta 5. Suhandjo said Kudus was now free of PEI elements but the count ryside was as yet not safe. Robert J. Martens First Secretary of Embassy === [PDF page 3] === 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