The Central Committee of the Revolutionary Communist Organisation declares its unwavering support for the current upsurge of mass struggle gripping Indonesia. The butcher Prabowo is increasingly being left with no clothes as his bombastic calls for economic growth falls apart in the tempest of world politics. To the working masses taking to the streets to avenge the death of Affan Kurniawan, to denounce the corruption of the ruling political class, to struggle against the military’s grasping hands into civilian politics, to fight for a better life, and a better world, we declare our unwavering solidarity. Against the government of the butcher, the government of incompetence and corruption, the government that denounces the working masses as “the stupidest people on earth” we declare our unwavering opposition. We declare our opposition as internationalists, and as proletarians and call for the victory of the toiling masses of Indonesia.
In the sixty years since the massacre of the Partai Komunis Indonesia the Indonesian state has integrated itself into the American imperialist block, buying into it with the corpses of communists, workers, and the people of East Timor, Aceh, and West Papua. Yet still when the Indonesian proletariat has arisen even in its weakened form it has sent crisis throughout the ruling classes. The fall of Suharto shows that the working masses of Indonesia hold in their hands the power to send their oppressors fleeing.
Yet unless the proletariat takes power into their own hands their tasks will remain unfinished. The imperialist exploitation of Indonesia will continue, the occupation of West Papua will continue, the standards of living will only decline, and the opportunity for the youth will only fade, women will remain oppressed, and children will be poisoned again. They cannot place any trust in the bourgeois; sections may claim that they want to help free Indonesia from imperialist oppression, Prabowo may claim to offer a solution but there is none within the imperialist world system. Nor is there any solution isolated, and without clarification.
The key task of Indonesian workers and communists at this current moment is to fight to secure the greatest possible gains for the working class and the communist movement possible. Communists cannot merely bombastically call for victory when it is impossible but must chart a course and struggle to win leadership to secure the greatest possible concessions with the forces available. A resignation of Prabowo, the dissolution of the House of Deputies, and the total repeal of all anti-communist laws would be major victories allowing the socialist movement to move forward into the light and air that it needs to thrive. The reforging of the Partai Komunis Indonesia would be a major victory, and the key task of the Indonesian communist movement is to cohere itself around a revolutionary internationalist program.
Communists must also fight against any attempts for reactionary forces to secure power. Against Islamism, nationalism, and reaction. Communists must wage a united struggle that seeks to split proletarian elements of the movement from the reactionary leadership.
As communists organising in Australia the RCO understands its task to fight against any attempts for the Australian state to intervene in Indonesia, and to provide political, and material solidarity to the struggle of the Indonesian masses. Communists must live up to the highest traditions of our movement and wage the struggle to help reforge the PKI, both in Indonesia and in Australia. Illegal and legal work must be combined in the highest traditions of Leninism, as part of the fight for workers’ power.
The fight for the Indonesian revolution is the locus of the South-East Asian Revolution, any victory for the Australian proletariat can only come alongside the proletariat taking power across Asia and the Pacific. But the greatest struggle for the Indonesian revolution we can wage is to fight for revolution here. Any attempts to provide political, military, or economic support to the Indonesian regime we must oppose. Not a single gun, man, dollar, or ship for the butcher of the Indonesian proletariat. Not a single concession to bourgeois law. The highest tradition of the communist movement places the world revolution, and the advancement of the proletariat above any laws or fiction of bourgeois legality.
Against Australian chauvinism we declare that the main enemy is at home. Against ‘little Australia’ parochialism throughout the socialist movement we declare ourselves for internationalism. Against nationalist sectarianism we proclaim ourselves for internationalist unity, and the maximal level of joint struggle to build the power of the Indonesian revolution.
Bubarkan DPR!
Papua Merdeka!
Reforge the PKI!
For democracy, bread, and socialism!
For a Workers’ Republic in Indonesia and Australia!
Para Buruh Seluruh Dunia, Bersatulah!
PARTISAN! 