Before I started writing her story, I had known about Irina for years, as I was one of the members of the advisory board of her organisation, Institut Ungu (The Purple Institute), which concentrates on women's theatre projects. We had never met, but we had kept in touch via email and Facebook. Little did I know that her father was a figure who was admired by my father. When I was a child, I knew the name Njoto from my schoolbooks as one of the biggest criminals and traitors in Indonesia. However, my father insisted otherwise: ‘Njoto was a very intelligent man, much better than Soeharto!’

Of course, I thought my father was mad then …

Now, in front of me, sits Njoto's daughter. A very simple woman, who tries to do anything she can for ex-political prisoners and their families. At a meeting with other ex-political prisoners and their families in Jakarta on 27 September 2013, those who had just found out that Irina is Njoto's daughter shook their heads in disbelief.

Njoto was a very important figure for many communist and left-wing sympathisers. He and Aidit were the top national leaders of the PKI, and he had been a state minister in Sukarno's cabinet. But Njoto was executed without trial, most probably at the end of 1965 or in early 1966. Even Irina does not know when and where her father was killed.

For years, I never knew my family background, because I was separated from my parents and siblings since I was very young. I am the fifth child of seven brothers and sisters. My eldest sibling was born in 1956 and I was born in 1962. My mother was pregnant when Gestok happened. Just before that event, on 30 September 1965, we stayed at my auntie's home, because her son was about to have his first birthday the next day. Staying at our relatives when their children were about to have birthday parties was indeed our custom. But on his birthday, 1 October, mama received a phone call, telling us not to return to our home because of a critical situation that she did not really understand. After that, we lost our home. My family had to move from one place to another.