Dipa Nusantara Aidit

Dipa Nusantara Aidit was an Indonesian communist politician, who served as General Secretary of the Communist Party of Indonesia (PKI) from 1951 until his summary execution during the mass killings of 1965–66. Born on Belitung Island, he was nicknamed "Amat". Aidit was educated in the Dutch colonial system. He joined the PKI in 1942 and became a prominent leader of the party's youth wing. He rose to prominence within the party after the Madiun Affair in 1948, which eliminated many of the old leaders. He became the General Secretary in 1951 and led the party to adopt a more radical and revolutionary stance. He also forged a close alliance with President Sukarno, who appointed him as the Deputy Speaker of the People's Consultative Assembly in 1960. Aidit was one of the main architects of the Indonesian National Revolution and the Guided Democracy system. He advocated for a socialist and anti-imperialist Indonesia, and supported the liberation movements in other countries. He was also involved in the cultural and educational fields, promoting the development of Indonesian literature, arts, and sciences. He was a prolific writer and speaker, and published many books and articles on various topics. He was also known for his slogan "Marhaenism for the whole world", which expressed his vision of a global solidarity of the oppressed peoples. Aidit was one of the most influential and controversial figures in Indonesian history. He was admired by many as a charismatic and visionary leader, but also feared and hated by others as a ruthless and dangerous communist. He was accused of being behind the 30 September Movement, a failed coup attempt in 1965 that resulted in the murder of six army generals. Although the exact role of Aidit and the PKI in the coup remains unclear, the incident triggered a violent anti-communist purge that killed hundreds of thousands of people, including Aidit himself. He was captured and executed by the army in Boyolali, Central Java, on 22 November 1965. His body was never returned to his family, and his grave remains unknown. He was posthumously declared a traitor and an enemy of the state by the New Order regime, which banned the PKI and any mention of its history. His legacy and reputation have been subject to debate and revision in recent years, as Indonesia has undergone a process of democratization and reconciliation.