INCOMING TELEGRAM Department of State DOCUMENT 6
DDRS R: 608E
SECRET
PP RUEHCR
DE RUMJBT 373A 2611735
ZNY SSSSS
P 081415Z
PM AMEMBASSY DJAKARTA
TO RUEKER/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 923
INFO RUERDA/DOC UNN
RUMPAG/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 88
RUMTBK/AMEMBASSY BANGKOK 55
RUMJDH/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 92
RUMJKL/AMEMBASSY KUALA LUMPUR 152
RUFHDN/AMEMBASSY LONDON 97
RUMJMA/AMEMBASSY MANILA 265
HUALOT/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 99
STATE GRNC
BT
SECRET OCT 8
CINCPAC FOR POLAD
1. ONE WEEK HAS PASSED SINCE MASSACRE TOP ARMY LEADERSHIP IN OCT 1
PRE-DAWN COUP. IT NOW INCREASINGLY CLEAR THAT PKI AND AIR FORCE LEADERSHIP
CLEARLY IMPLICATED AND THAT SUKARNO HIMSELF PROBABLY AT LEAST AWARE OF
ACTIONS PLANNED BY 30 SEPT MOVEMENT. SITUATION STILL FLUID, BUT FOLLOWING
SEEK TO US MOST ENCOURAGING DEVELOPMENTS TO DATE:
A. COMMUNISTS ARE NOW ON THE RUN FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MANY YEARS IN
INDONESIA. AIDIT S WHEREABOUT NOT RPT NOT KNOWN AND RALLYING CALL TODAY
AMONG NON-COMMUNIST
PAGE TWO RUMJBT 373A SECRET
ELEMENTS IS HANG AIDIT . AT LEAST ONE TOP PKI LEADER TAKEN INTO CUSTODY
(NJONO) AND THERE UNCONFIRMED REPORTS THAT ANOTHER (NJOTO) HAS BEEN
SEIZED. PKI ORGANIZATIONAL APPARATUS HAS BEEN DISRUPTED AND PARTY
DOCUMENTS DISPERSED. THIS CAPPED TODAY WITH BURNING OF PKI HEADQUARTERS IN
DJAKARTA.
B. AT SAME TIME, VIRTUALLY ALL MUSLIM AND CHRISTIAN ORGANIZATIONS HAVE
RALLIED BEHIND ARMY, AND EVEN PNI, WHICH LONG
FACTOR IS EXISTENCE OF GOOD PKI UNDERGROUND NETWORK WHICH COULD IN ANY
EVENT CONTINUE CAUSE TROUBLE FOR ARMY.
3. WHILE KIAPMA (ANTI-FOREIGN MILITARY BASES CONFERECE SCREDULED OPEN
OCT ) MIGHT PROVIDE MEANS FOR SUKARNO ATTEMPT RALLY NEKOLIM SPIRIT AND
DROWN INTERNAL DISAGREEMENT IN BIGGER INTERNATIONAL CAMPAIGN, CONDITIONS IN
CITY, INCLUDING STRICT 12-HOUR CURFEW, ARE NOT CONDUCIVE TO ENTERTAINING
FOREIGN VISITORS OR HOLDING INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE.
INDICATIONS ARE THAT SUKARNO AND SUBANDRIO ARE TRYING TO PIN INTERNAL AFFAIR
ON NEKOLIM , AND MAY BE EXPECTED TO COME OUT WITH SPECIFIC CHARGES
AGAINST US AND PROBABLY CIA. ALTHOUGH KIAPMA WOULD PROVIDE EXCELLENT
SOUNDING BOARD FOR THIS THEME, WE THINK IT HIGHLY UNLIKELY THAT SUCCESSFUL
CONFERENCE CAN BE HELD ON SCREDULE.
4. ARMY NOW HAS DECIDED EDGE. QUESTION IS, WHAT WILL ARMY DO WITH ITS
ADVANTAGE? IT LIKELY ARMY WILL COLLECT EVIDENCE OF INVOLVEMENT PKI AND ITS
OTHER ENEMIES IN 30 SEPT AFFAIR. IT MAY WELL FIND EVIDENCE THAT SUKARNO
INVOLVED, AND IF SO THIS MIGHT FORCE LESS OBSTINATE LINE.
PAGE FIVE RUMJBT 373A SECRET
FROM PRESIDENT. IF ARMY LEADERS REALIZE THAT THIS IS MOMENT OF TRUTH AND
HAVE DETERMINATION TO STAND UP TO SUKARNO THEY CAN WIN. ARMY NOW SHOWS
NO INTENTION OF OPENLY DITCHING SUKARNO AND WILL PROBABLY FEEL NEED TO USE
HIS NAME FOR SOME TIME. IF ARMY CAMPAIGN LOSES MOMENTUM AND POWER IS
ALLOWED TO SLIP BACK TO SUKARNO, LATTER LIKELY EVENTUALLY TO RETALIATE BY
RESORTING TO EVEN MORE VIOLENT TACTICS AGAINST INTERNAL OPPOSITION.
HOWEVER, EVEN IF THIS HAPPENS, SUKARNO CAN NEVER AGAIN RULE AS HE ONCE DID.
THE IMAGE OF THE GREAT LEADER IS TARNISHED ALTHOUGH IN THE SHORT RUN HE
CAN CERTAINLY CAUSE THIS COUNTRY S NON-COMMUNIST ELEMENTS, AND THE UNITED
STATES, A GREAT DEAL OF DIFFICULTY.
GP-3. GREEN
BT
Note: Advance Copy to S/S-O at 1:20 a.m., October 9
Passed NSA, USIA, USUN at 1:30 a.m., October 9
copy
Lyndon B. Johnson Library