Soekarno Banned Student Association

VIVAnews - Only months after General Soeharto crushed the communist rebellion in early October 1965, President Soekarno's popularity among the masses, particularly the students, began to wane.

There was a strong and growing displeasure towards him among the majority of the population. They all rejected the way he handled the PKI-backed rebellion. In the eyes of  the population, Soekarno was indecisive and reluctant to punish several high ranking government officials, both civilian and military, who allegedly involved in the 30th September movement.

Dissatisfaction among the people became more tense when in late 1965, the government raised the price of oil and devalued the Indonesian currency, Rupiah, to one thousandth of its original value.

In early 1966, at the height of the country's worst economic turbulence, the students began holding mass rallied demanding the government improve the country's economy. Most of these protests were organized by Kesatuan Aksi Mahasiswa Indonesia (KAMI) or United Actions of Indonesian Students under the leadership of Cosmas Batubara (later appointed to several ministry posts under Soeharto administration).

On 10 January 1966, KAMI and other student organizations on behalf of the people issued the Tiga Tuntutan Rakyat (Tritura) or People's Three Demands. These demands included the ban and dissolution of the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI), expelling the communist members and sympathizers from the cabinet, and improving the country's economy.

Since then, student protests and demonstrations became epidemic throughout the country. On 14 February 1966, under the pressure from the people, the government opened a Special Military Tribunal to try those who were involved in the 1965 communist rebellion.  

A week later, on 21 February 1966, President Soekarno reshuffled his cabinet which he dubbed “Revised Dwikora Cabinet” (Kabinet Dwikora yang Disempurnakan), which was infamously known among the people as “A Hundred Ministers Cabinet” (Kabinet Seratus Menteri).

On 24 February 1966, KAMI and other student organizations held a massive protest in front of the Presidential Palace to prevent the new cabinet from being sworn-in. Soon the protest turned violent and Arief Rahman Hakim, a University of Indonesia student, was killed after being accidentally shot by a presidential guard. One day later, to prevent the student protests from getting out of hand, on 25 February 1966, President Soekarno banned KAMI.

This harsh policy, however, failed to ease the student movements. In fact, the student later held even more violent and larger protest and demonstration. The ban on KAMI failed to suppress the student protest since two days later the students founded a new organization called Kesatuan Aksi Pemuda Pelajar Indonesia (KAPPI ) or United Action of Indonesian Youths and Students.

A month later, on 11 March 1966, under the intense and growing pressure from his people, President Soekarno issued an Executive Order, Surat Perintah Sebelas Maret (Supersemar), which transferred most of his executive authority to General Soeharto, then Minister and Chief of Staff of the Indonesian Army.

Since then, Soekarno's power and influence within the Indonesian government began to fade. A year later, he was deposed from the Presidency by the Provisionary People's Consultative Assembly (MPRS), and Soeharto was appointed in his place as Acting President of Indonesia.