The Point of GESTAPU Dempes Kaliwiro (Skull Track)

The Point of GESTAPU Dempes Kaliwiro

(Skull Track)

The point of GESTAPU Dempes Kaliwiro is a location that serves as a mass grave for members of the Communist Party of Indonesia or PKI. GESTAPU itself is an abbreviation of Gerakan September Tiga Puluh that took place in 1965. In that year the massacre of PKI members took place in large numbers in various regions including in Yogyakarta and Klaten. 24 members  of PKI from both areas were taken to Dempes hill  precisely located in Mandalika hamlet, Tanjunganom village, Kaliwiro district, Wonosobo regency to be killed. Then their corpses were buried en masse on the slopes of the Dempes hills.

In 2000 this grave was unloaded. Demolition gained support from TNI and local police. The demolition was done by Yayasan Penelitian Korban Pembunuhan 1965-1966 (YPKP 65). The result of demolition in the form of bones is then buried properly and returned to his family. From this event the Kaliwiro - Sawangan line is called the Skull Track with one of the areas on the hillside of Dempes as the Point of GESTAPU or people often refer to it as the PKI Tomb. 

At night, this place will be a very quiet place, because though the main route to the city of Wonosobo but this path has no illumination. In addition the form of the street can also be said to be quite extreme, because there are many sharp corners where the other side is high cliffs and the other side is a fairly steep ravine. This place is often referred to as a haunted area because many people from within the region or outside the area often find the frightening figures aka ghosts on this path. Some people sometimes choose to cancel their journey over this area when it's too night. People believe that the ghosts they see are the souls of PKI victims who were once buried en masse in this area. But many also say that this place is already famous haunted before the victims of the PKI buried en masse here.

Apart from that horrible side of mystery, the point of GESTAPU Dempes Kaliwiro is actually an interesting place ,because the location of this area is higher than other areas. From this path people will be able to see the whole sub-district of Kaliwiro from a distance surrounded by rows of hills and green trees. People usually go here to simply seek entertainment and calm the mind by enjoying sunrise and sunset while enjoying the breeze of the trees. At night, from this point people will be treated to interesting scenery. Light cobbles and vehicles throughout Kaliwiro area will look like the light of stars that fall and scattered on the ground. In the good wheather the moon and stars will look beautiful viewed from this point. .This is what underlies the construction of a substus in Dempes area. Although for now it needs to be improved and renovated or even added. 

During Ramadan this place will usually be very crowded even though it is not a tourist place. This place is regarded as a place that is perfect for 'ngabuburit' or wait for the breaking of the fast. In recent years some people have tried their luck by selling here. One of the famous is “Es Duren Pak Muslih” that located just above the point of GESTAPU.