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Indonesia: Dipa (Dwipa) Nusantara (D.N.) Aidit, former chair of the Communist Party of Indonesia (PKI); whether his family members were targeted in the purge of communists that began in 1965

Dipa (Dwipa) Nusantara (D.N.) Aidit became a leader of the Communist Party of India (Partai Komunis Indonesia) (PKI) in 1951 (Communist and Marxist Parties of the World 1990, 299). In 1962 President Sukarno appointed him as a minister without portfolio (ibid.) and in 1963 he was made a Deputy Chairman of the Provisional People's Consulatative Congress (Keesing's Nov. 1963). Following an abortive coup in 1965, which was largely blamed on the communists (ibid. Nov. 1965; Indonesia A Country Study 1992), Aidit was killed in central Java (Keesing's Feb. 1966; Communist and Marxist Parties of the World 1990, 300).

During the anti-communist violence that followed the coup attempt, approximately 300,000 were killed, although some estimates place the figure much higher (Indonesia A Country Study 1992). According to Keesing's, Aidit's home was sacked and burned, one of many such incidents involving "predominantly Moslem mobs" (Nov. 1965); however, the account does not make any reference to members of Aidit's family.

A 1 August 1995 Jakarta Post report states that Aidit's younger brother, Sobron Aidit, then 61, was living in exile in Paris. On 20 March 2000 the South China Morning Post reported that Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid had met with Aidit's daughter, Ibarruri Aidit, also in Paris. No further references to members of Aidit's family could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Response.

References

Communist and Marxist Parties of the World. 1990. London: St. James Press.

Indonesia A Country Study. 1992. Edited by William H. Frederick and Robert L. Worden.

Jakarta Post. 1 August 1995. "Let Political Exiles Return Home – Scholar."

Keesing's Record of World Events [Cambridge]. February 1966. Vol. 12. "Mass Killings of Communists in Aftermath of Abortive Coup." <http://keesings.gvpi.net/keesings> [Accessed 5 Dec. 2000]

_____. November 1965. Vol. 11. "Abortive Coup Attempt in Jakarta." <http://keesings.gvpi.net/keesings> [Accessed 5 Dec. 2000]

_____. November 1963. Vol. 9. "Cabinet Reorganization – President Sukarno Assumes Premiership." <http://keesings.gvpi.net/keesings> [Accessed 5 Dec. 2000]

South China Morning Post. 20 March 2000. "Old Guard Under Threat as Massacre Probe Starts."

Additional Sources Consulted

Cambridge History of Southeast Asia. 1992. Vol. 2.

Political Parties of Asia and the Pacific. 1985.

World News Connection (WNC)

Yearbook of International Communist Affairs. 1989.