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Critics decry omissions of past atrocities in history draft
A group of historians and human rights activists have raised concern over a draft of the government’s “updated” national history books, which they say selectively omits some of the country’s most painful and politically sensitive chapters, risking a distorted narrative shaped by political interests.
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Name revoked: The daughter of second president Soeharto, Siti Hediati Hariyadi or Titiek Soeharto, delivers a speech on Sept. 28, 2024, during the National Gathering and the handover of the MPR Leadership Letter to the family of Soeharto at the Parliament complex in Central Jakarta. The National Gathering held by the People's Consultative Assembly of the Republic of Indonesia was held to deliver a decree regarding the revocation of Soeharto’s name from the Decree (TAP) of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) No. 11/1998 concerning Clean and Corruption-Free State Administrators, Collusion and Nepotism. (Antara Foto/Fauzan)
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group of historians and human rights activists have raised concern over a draft of the government’s “updated” national history books, which they say selectively omit some of the country’s most painful and politically sensitive chapters, risking a distorted narrative shaped by political interests.
The project, led by Culture Minister Fadli Zon, a longtime loyalist of President Prabowo Subianto and vice chairman of his Gerindra Party, is intended to serve as the primary historical reference for educational institutions nationwide.
Framed as a means of strengthening national unity and confronting contemporary challenges, the 10-volume series is slated for release by the country’s 80th Independence Day on August 17. At least 100 historians are contributing to the project, which will chronicle the history of humankind in the country from homo erectus to Dutch colonization to Prabowo’s early period.
To this end, Minister Fadli said the work has reached 60 to 70 percent completion and is expected to enter the “public test” phase by late June or July.
Despite the pledge of public involvement, many doubt it will meaningfully impact the final content, given that the circulating draft omits major human rights violations, especially those committed during Soeharto’s authoritarian rule, Prabowo’s former father-in-law.
Among the events left out from the “conceptual framework” draft are the mysterious killings known as Petrus, between 1982 and 1985, as well as the 1998 Trisakti student shootings, and the abductions of pro-democracy activists, all of which occurred during Soeharto’s more than three decades in power.
Read also: Revising history to legitimize ruling regime
