Abstract
Communism has a long history in Indonesia. It has been part of the country since the colonial period. Although first used to encouraging the masses, a prominent event during 1965 marked the turning point of the communist ideology. Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) was allegedly involved in a tragedy that killed seven high-ranking military officers. That tragedy shifted people’s mindset on communism and the party itself. During the era of President Soeharto, a mass slaughter of communists and anyone remotely connected to the movement took place. The memory of the tragedy largely remains with the older generation as the end of Soeharto’s era and there are still reminders of the tragedy. During the past five years, there have been reemergence of “warnings” stating the resurgence of PKI. The proximity of these issues resurfacing to elections could be used by some people to win. Supported by the growing digital era, all kinds of information can spread easily. Although the older generations are mainly the ones with bitter memory, communism issues can still be used to mobilise public support one way or another. This paper explores the ongoing mindset in the Indonesian population about communism in general and PKI in particular. This study uses methods of data collection for qualitative research: literature and case studies along with theories of psychosocial narrative.
Digital Media
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