Essay Bsi-1

The G30S/PKI Rebellion:
A Key Historical Event in Indonesia
The G30S/PKI rebellion, from September 30 to October 1, 1965, was a crucial moment in
Indonesian history. Led by Lieutenant Colonel Untung of the Cakrabirawa Regimen, the plot
resulted in the murder of six military officers, sparked by political rivalry between the PKI and
the military due to President Soekarno’s declining health.
The rebellion began with the

kidnapping of key military figures, including
Lieutenant General Ahmad Yani, Major
General R. Soeprapto, and Brigadier General
D.I. Panjaitan, who were later found in the
Lubang Buaya well. General A.H. Nasution
escaped, but his daughter, Ade Irma Suryani,
and his aide, Lieutenant Pierre Tendean, were
Lubang Buaya, a place where 7 General was killed.
founded dead. Lubang buaya located in Cipayung
district, East Jakarta. This happens on 1 October
1965 as coup attempt by PKI.
Major General Soeharto quickly acted,

suppressing the rebellion and taking control of
key areas such as the Radio Republik Indonesia
(RRI) building. By announcing the recapture of
these locations on October 2, Soeharto quickly
regained control, and by discovering the bodies of
the officers on October 4, the military confirmed
the tragedy of the rebellion. The event triggered Soeharto and other military personel in 1965.
widespread anti-PKI demonstrations, culminating in the Supersemar decree in March 1966,

leading to the dissolution of the PKI.
In the aftermath, the nation’s response to the rebellion reflected the Biblical call for
justice, as the PKI was held accountable for the violence and chaos it had caused. Thus, the
events of the G30S/PKI rebellion and its suppression can be analyzed not only through a political
lens but also as a moral struggle, one that resonates with Christian calls for order and justice in
society.
The main cause of PKI’s rebellion is TNI (Tentara Nasional Indonesia which is a national
armed forces) and PKI bad relations. Both are rivals in politics, and both are rivals in occupying
the chair of power. They had a bad relationship, but after Soekarno’s declining health news, it got
worse. Soekarno’s health condition raised questions in society about who will replace Soekarno.
Soon after Soekarno’s declining health news, now both sides are trying to bring down each other
and gain power in politics. This conflict peaked in the PKI’s rebellion on the 30th of September
1965. A rebellion occurred because they see this as a chance to be able to replace Indonesia’s
Ideology to Communism and established Republic Indonesia Soviet.
We can say that PKI is blinded by greed for power that makes them rebel against the
government. We must remember that every government comes from God, rebellion against the
government means rebellion against God.
This was written in Rome 13:1-2, “Let
every soul be subject unto the higher
powers. For there is no power but of God:
the powers that be are ordained of God.
Whosoever therefore resisteth the power,
resisteth the ordinance of God: and they
that resist shall receive to themselves
damnation.”
The events of the PKI rebellion have had an impact on today’s society. The most
prominent impact was the emergence of Pancasila as the ideology of Indonesian society. By the
G30S/PKI incident where many PKI
people were considered evil because their
ideology was communism, Indonesian society now has the Pancasila ideology which is a mixture
of two ideologies, namely socialism and liberalism. Pancasila was chosen as the most
Indonesian people, having a protest.

appropriate ideology because the communist ideology implemented by the PKI was considered
too strong and negatively impacted society. The second impact is related to society, where
society is currently very anti-PKI. As we know, by experiencing the G30S/PKI incident, society
became more skeptical of communism and its supporters, so that many politicians would have a
problem if there were people in government who were PKI’s descendants. Lastly the third impact
is continuous with the second impact, because the current political world is very anti-PKI. By
promoting anti-communism and anti-leftism, political candidates position themselves within
acceptable political ideologies. Therefore they are anti-communist and anti-left. This impact is
very influential in the world of Indonesian politics because by current and existing leadership
candidates will have socialist and liberalist views to be elected.
As children of light, we must be able to judge the events of rebellion not only through our
own thinking but also according to the Bible. As stated in the Bible verse Luke 23:34a which
says, “O Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing”. From this verse, God
wants to convey that He will forgive us, so even though the G30S/PKI rebellion resulted in many
victims, God will still forgive us as humans, not our sins.
Although it may seem that PKI rebellion negatively impacts society, that does not mean
there is no positive impact at all. The PKI rebellion made the ideology of communism labeled
negatively in society. This helps in strengthening political stability in Indonesia because the
government can take decisive action to end communism and prohibit the spread of its ideology.
The steps taken by the government can reduce the potential for the emergence of ideologies that
can divide society and can help increasing public support for the government. This rebellion also
increased public awareness of the importance of maintaining national unity as well as
encouraging the improvement of military and economic policies in Indonesia.
Although the Bible in Romans 13:1-2 says, “there is no authority except that which God
has established; the authorities that exist have been established by God”, Acts 5:39 also provides
balance stating, “We must obey God rather than human beings.” This shows that even though
God has established the authorities that exist in our government, the ultimate authority that we
must obey is God. Although authority was challenged, the response to the rebellion was in line
with a greater Biblical call for justice and order.
God’s sovereignty can be understood as His ultimate control over all events, even those
involving political turmoil and violence. According to Romans 13:1-2, God allows governments
and authorities to exist as part of his divine plan, but His sovereignty also means that human
actions, even rebellion and tragedy, fall under His will. Although the rebellion’s chaos was
overwhelming, God’s overarching purpose for justice, as seen in Isaiah 1:17, ultimately prevails.
G30S/PKI rebellion, an event that happened on 30 th September 1965. This rebellion

brought trauma and bad perceptions about Communism. On the other hand, this rebellion helps
Indonesia to developed in various fields such as economics, military, and politics. We need to
remember that there’s no government that isn’t from God, so we must follow the order of the
country that we live in. We also need to remember that the ultimate authority that we need to
obey is God. We believe that everything from Indonesia’s government to PKI’s rebellion are a
part of God’s plan for Indonesia. Thus we have to believe His plan even though sometimes its
hard to understand.

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The G30S/PKI Rebellion:

A Key Historical Event in Indonesia

The rebellion began with the

Major General Soeharto quickly acted,

widespread anti-PKI demonstrations, culminating in the Supersemar decree in March 1966,

Indonesian people, having a protest.

G30S/PKI rebellion, an event that happened on 30 th September 1965. This rebellion

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