This book, Tempo attempted to view the events of 1965 from perspective of the killers. We have no intention of condemning or judging them. Indonesian politics at that time were extremely complex. Before the September tragedy, the conflict between the PK and other political parties had  reached a boiling point. The PKI, feeling it had the upper hand, imposed various kinds of pressure on resodents who remained apolitical who espoused different political views. When the poweer dynamic shiffted, revenge and retalioation spun out of control. The killings were given tacit approval by both communal and religious leaders.