As-salamu alaykum - Indonesians protest plan to honor Suharto
As-salamu alaykum. Indonesian activists are speaking out against a government proposal to name the late military ruler Suharto a national hero. He led Indonesia for more than 30 years, but many remember his New Order era for widespread abuses and corruption.
Suharto, who died in 2008, was in power for 32 years until student-led protests in 1998 forced him to step down during an economic crisis and violent riots in Jakarta. He appears on a list of 49 candidates being considered for the national hero title that is awarded each year on National Heroes’ Day (Nov. 10) to those deemed to have made major contributions to the country.
The proposal has prompted protests from civil society groups who point to allegations of human rights violations and entrenched corruption during his rule. Damairia Pakpahan, a women’s rights advocate in Yogyakarta, said Suharto’s long rule included many human rights violations and that corruption, collusion, and nepotism were widespread.
Hundreds of citizens and organizations have joined a coalition asking the government to remove Suharto from the candidate list; an online petition opposing the nomination has gathered over 13,500 signatures. The coalition’s letter lists at least nine major human rights incidents under his regime, including the deadly May 1998 riots and the 1965–66 mass killings tied to anti-communist purges. Estimates of deaths during those purges vary widely, with historians suggesting between hundreds of thousands to a million killed, and many more imprisoned or later stigmatized.
The civil society groups say Suharto’s record shows an authoritarian pattern that caused lasting harm: murders, enforced disappearances, torture, sexual violence, land grabs, and systemic discrimination. Around 100 activists recently gathered near the presidential palace in Jakarta to protest the nomination, holding signs demanding an end to attempts to whitewash that period of history.
Officials from the culture and social ministries say public input is part of the nomination process. Culture Minister Fadli Zon, who chairs the committee that reviews candidates, has defended the vetting process and said candidates meet academic requirements, including Suharto, whose name has been proposed multiple times. Human Rights Watch and other observers note that the choice of national heroes is often divisive - figures celebrated by some may be remembered very differently by others who suffered under their rule.
Many in Indonesia are calling for careful historical study and public discussion before bestowing such honors, so that the full context and suffering of victims are not overlooked.
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