Paper short abstract:

This paper discusses the Syarikat Indonesia’s mediation process between "the perpetrators and the victims" of the 1965 tragedy that broke the dominant anti-communist narrative in Indonesia as can be seen from the new narrative and the new relationship that have emerged during and after the process

Paper long abstract:

This paper examines the mediation process conducted by Syarikat Indonesia as a means of shifting the dominant anti-communist narrative about the most tragic violent episode in Indonesian history, the events of 1965. The Syarikat mediation process invites and involves the participations of both perpetrators and the victims of the 1965 tragedy. In this process, both groups share their stories and personal experiences relating to the 1965 event. This grass-roots effort is a significant attempt at dealing with the 1965 issue after failures at the national level due to high political tension and mass protests.

To consider if Syarikat's mediation processes can break the anti-communist narrative, this paper considers the three key themes narrative, identity and victimhood as the conceptual framework. These themes have been significant in prolonging the anti-communist narrative in Indonesia. This paper analyzes the transcript of the mediation process and the secondary resources that record this process.

The main finding of this paper is that the mediation process conducted by Syarikat Indonesia has offered a way to break the anti-communist narrative in Indonesia. This happened because this process provided space for the participants to interrogate, challenge, and problematize the official narrative of communism in Indonesia. The official narrative has been corrected and clarified by the participants and a new narrative and understanding about the 1965 event, one which is different from the government version, is now emerging. Furthermore, from this process, a new consciousness in looking each other has emerged among them, from being "enemy" to "partner."