Asian Human Rights Commission

Indonesia's new democracy is facing its greatest threat to date.

While the world's attention is on whether President Abdurrahman Wahid will stay in office, some organisations have taken the opportunity to attack the main progressive, democracy-building organisations, such as trade unions, political parties, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and student movements, openly calling it an "anti-communist" purge (even though the organisations may be completely unrelated to communism). Organisations attempting to open investigations into the 1965-1966 massacre of well over a million people that brought Suharto to power have been targeted in particular. These organisations have already closed their offices or are closing them as the so-called "Anti-Communist Front" has vowed to destroy their offices and burn their books and documents. The Anti-Communist Front is a new coalition that is composed of right-wing, religious fundamentalist and militia organisations that include:

* Front of Hizbullah,

* Front Pembela Islam or FPI (Front of Muslim Defender),

* Ikhwutan Sunnah Waljamaah (led by Habib Al Absi),

* Pemuda Pancasila (Pancasila Youth formed by Suharto's Golkar Party),

* FKPPI (also formed by Golkar) and

* Laskar Merah Putih (led by Eurico Guterres, who is well-known for the massacres committed by the militia he directed in East Timor).

This front is clearly supported, if not organised, by elements of the military and supporters of Suharto, including members of the Golkar Party. The front's activities to date have included the following acts of terrorism:

* Book-burnings in Yogyakarta, Central Java,

* Burning of an NGO office,

* A joint statement with the regional government in Medan, Sumatra, calling for the dissolution of Partai Rakyat Demokratik or PRD (People's Democratic Party) and responsibility for the suspected disappearance of the local PRD leader in Medan,

* Public statements in the media issuing an ultimatum for a purge of communism from the country with the proclaimed support of the military and

* Intimidation and monitoring of NGO offices in Jakarta.

After the fall of Suharto in 1998, civil society began rebuilding, and free trade unions, independent NGOs and a variety of political parties emerged. These organisations have created a great deal of pressure for reforms to the political and legal systems created by Suharto, including repeal of the "dual functions" of the armed forces in the political and military arenas, the trial of Suharto and an investigation into massacres organised by him, the involvement of the military in communal violence, the removal of discriminatory legislation, the exposure of corruption, etc. The military and supporters of Suharto have managed to hold on to power in most spheres; and now that Parliament is in crisis, they have created enough space to try to vilify and close down these progressive organisations that threaten their impunity and power base. The fear is that if the action to destroy the NGO offices and break up these organisations is successful Indonesian civil society will degenerate to its state of powerlessness during the Suharto era.