[The following is a translation of a message sent to ASIET by the underground Peoples Democratic Party (PRD).]

To the Christian community, merry Christmas. To the Islamic community, best wishes for the month of fasting [Bulan Puasa].

At this time, we face two important religious events, Christmas and the Islamic fasting month. This time is not just important in a religious sense, but it also has a very important social component. Even more so at a time when this country is in the mist of a crisis: an economic crisis, a moral crisis, a crisis of leadership, a political crisis, a legal crisis, a crisis of human rights, a crisis of justice and a democratic crisis; [under such circumstances] these religious events will not simply loose their social aspect. At a time like this, it is extremely important for the Islamic and Christian communities to begin to think about change, most importantly a change in the presidency and a change in the system so that we can emerge from this crisis.

As with the example given by the Christian community in the Philippines and countries of Latin and Central America, also the example given by the Islamic community in the Middle East, Africa and a number of other countries; religious groups have a role in the overthrow of dictatorships. Because it is clear that a dictator is the oppressor of [religious] communities and tramples upon praiseworthy morals. So it is also important for the Christian and Islamic communities in Indonesia to take these as examples [to follow].

The right of both Christian and Islamic communities to freely celebrate this great day and carry out this act of devotion may not be violated. The Christian community cannot be forbidden from holding gatherings to celebrate Christmas, for the sake of respecting a different religious community. Similarly, do not forbid the Islamic community from holding meetings while observing the fasting month and commemorating Idul Fitri [the end of the fasting month] as long as it does not disturb other religious communities. Certainly, there have been many recent riots which have smacked of SARA*, but in reality that which has manifested itself, is in essence the people's resistance against the New Order dictatorship.

Because for more than 30 years, the people have been blinded by [the New Order's] politics and the lack of a democratic culture in this country, so that the people do not know how to conduct the struggle against oppression. So that the people immense anger at the regime becomes easy to manipulate, to be turned and used by military agents and directed toward the Christians and the Chinese. In this way, the people's anger is not directed at the New Order regime, but instead turned towards the Christian community.

Because of this, we must use the gatherings that happen during Christmas and the fasting month as a place to raise the people's political consciousness. So that both the Christian and Islamic communities are not blanketed with false consciousness and fight each other, so that they become aware [of the need] to jointly fight the dictatorship. When there is no input of political consciousness in these gatherings, it is very possible that gatherings of people who are angered by the oppression of the New Order regime, will be manipulated so that their consciousness becomes hatred and SARA.

Because of this, the Central Leadership Committee of the People's Democratic Party asks the Islamic and Christian communities:

1. To continue to hold religious gatherings during Christmas and the fasting month, and resist if they are dispersed by the military;

2. To use the gatherings during Christmas and the fasting month as a political forum, most of all as a forum to demand a change in the presidency and an overhaul of the economic and political system;

3. To rid yourselves of issues of SARA and strengthen the unity between the oppressed people during Christmas and the fasting month.

Again, the message of the KPP-PRD is merry Christmas and best wishes for the month of fasting! Overthrow Suharto with a peoples uprising!

Mirah Mahardika, in the name of KPP-PRD

Translators notes:

SARA: Suku, agama, ras dan antar golongan, An acronym meaning ethnic, religious, racial and inter-group conflicts. A loosely defined term with negative connotations, it is frequently used by the regime to describe conflicts which are deemed to threaten "national unity" or "stability" and are at odds with the state ideology of Pancasila and the concept of "unity in diversity".

[Translated by James Balowski]