We'll be traveling to 1965 in Indonesia, a young nation hungry to shape its society into an egalitarian community and mark its existence into the world. Behind it all lies power struggle that changed the history of this nation as well as a mark of atrocities that remains unknown even for its own citizen.
All this started with the Cold War narrative and how "leftist" idelogy spreads throughout Asia and mainly around South East Asia. As a response to it, Washington launched an Anticommunist Crusade, just like Belvin's longer title to his Book, The Jakarta Method: Washington's Anticommunist Crusade and The Mass Murder Program That Shaped Our World.
This "crusade" caused hundreds of Indonesian killed, missing and even tortured. For Indonesians who were the victim of this they remained silent for years, hiding the real truth of the horrors around that year. Even its effect still echoed in today's time.
The United States, through CIA spent miliions to influence election in the country that year and also helped some local organizations with fundings. Through these, they were able to shape and planted the idea that communism was the enemy and it is a bad political ideology. Since the method of influencing this way works, it was then referred as The Jakarta Method.
The premise of the entire's operation is simple. It's to stop the spread of leftist idelogy based on the American ideoligal point of view. The Jakarta Method, is simply a code name that is then applied in other countries especially around the Latin America. According to Belvin's researched, in Chile they eve wrote things like " Jakarta is Coming" which is reference to the terror happened in Jakarta.
This book is brilliantly written to introduce people to this almost forgotten era where about a million people's lives gone. For Indonesians, this history has also been shaped in a certain way that portrays the communist was the ultimate bad guy. The truth is that it was more complex than just the good vs the bad guy.
One policy in particular that still echoed as result of that era is that in Indonesia, any symbol of communism is banned. Some foreigners who are found to wear the hammer and sickle symbol would be asked to replace their t-shirts of and even confiscated those.
Though these days, the younger generation is more willing to talk about this socially taboo topic. Many including myself wants to know what actually happened at the time. Through Belvins' book, we get to see another point of view and even surprising us that there was CIA behind the whole operation.
This book was intended for those who wants to understand this chapter of history during the cold war. Unlike the vietnam that made the headline in the US, This one in Jakarta remained unknown. It was properly concealed for so long and honestly as terrifying as a physical war. Can you imagine if this same method is being used today?
For many young readers this book help us think critically about world events and political situtions in our country. Reading this work will help us understand that sometimes unrest isn't as simple as finding out who the bad guy is. There are layers to it and even the puppet masters who plays so eloquently.
Honestly, this book becomes a lot more relevant to read again as we have current unrest ongoing. There's so much to learn based on the book and I would give this book 6 out o 7. This book is highly recommended if you enjoy reading historical and well-researched journalism.
You can find some of my scribbles about this book below. Writing out helps me remember some of important key themes of the book and ideas that I find fascinating or to be researched more. Anyway, see you in my next Book Club 7th August 12PM UTC .
