Flickers of the Truth

It has been 37 years since the September 30 tragedy. Last week, children of the six army generals killed in the Communist coup attempt launched a book, Fireflies of Truth in the Night Sky, to commemorate the bloody event.

Following is a record of their recollections of the unfolding events during the week of 28 September to 5 October 1965. Lacking contextual facts, the book, which attempts to set the record straight, rests solely on eyewitness accounts.

October 1, 2002

The soldiers moved in the wee hours. They broke into a house on Jalan Teuku Umar in Central Jakarta and shouted: "Where's Nasution? Where's Nasution?" At almost the same time, another group of soldiers argued with the man who opened the door in another house: "You have been summoned by the president and must leave right away," they barked. The man refused. The soldiers opened fire, sending him to the ground in a pool of blood. Six army generals an

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