The Civil Society Coalition Against Impunity condemns the launch of the latest edition of the book The National History of Indonesia that was launched on Sunday December 14.
The book is the result of a history rewriting project initiated by the government through the Ministry of Culture since early 2025. Although it claims to be written in a "positive tone", in reality the writing approach highlights the successes of previous regimes while omitting the facts about repression, oppression and human rights violations as a result of state policies.
We view this rewriting of history as part of the state's efforts to whitewash and erase the responsibility of the New Order regime – especially former president Suharto – for various abuses of power during his reign from society's collective memory. This can be seen from the absence of voices from victims of state violence during the New Order era and the omission of historical facts regarding Suharto's involvement in the practices of corruption, collusion and nepotism (KKN).
Instead of presenting a balanced assessment, the latest version of The National History of Indonesia actually glorifies state policies and actions, especially during the New Order period, without being accompanied by a critical evaluation or appropriate correction. In fact, history should function as a means of collective learning so that mistakes and crimes in the past are not repeated in the future.
During his 32 years in power, Suharto was responsible for violence against civilians, human rights violations including serious human rights violations, abuse of authority and systematic KKN practices. Under the New Order, the state was transformed into a machine of violence through mass extermination, confiscation of natural resources, environmental destruction, control and uniformity of society, engineering horizontal conflicts, violence against women, restrictions on freedom of the press and political parties, as well as repression of trade unions which was often accompanied by violence. The long period of New Order rule left a legacy of trauma and socio-political damage whose impacts are still felt today.
This collective trauma which has yet to heal is inseparable from the absence of revealing the truth about the repression and abuse of state power during the New Order era. In fact, rewriting history should be an opportunity for the state to dismantle hegemonic narratives and present history that supports justice and has the victims' perspective.
However, since the annulment of Law Number 27/2004 on a Truth and Reconciliation Commission by the Constitutional Court, the state has never re-established a fair and credible truth disclosure mechanism. As a result, the public lost official references to the historical facts of the New Order. In the draft of the book that was circulated and presented for public examination, a number of cases of serious human rights violations that had been investigated by National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) were actually reduced or completely eliminated. This blurring is a real form of epistemicide – the destruction of knowledge – of crimes against humanity for which the state should be held accountable. Moreover, this history book with a single interpretation in the government's version will be used as teaching material in schools.
The manipulation of the nation's collective memory has not just carried out through this history book, but also by giving Suharto the title of national hero. In the midst of the lack of recognition, truth and justice for gross violations of human rights during the New Order, the awarding of this title is a symbolic rehabilitation of the main actor suspected of being responsible for crimes against humanity that have never been legally processed. This step, coupled with the blurring of history through rewriting, is a betrayal of the victims and their families who have been demanding for decades that the state reveal the truth and bring them justice. Historical facts are glossed over for the political interests of those in power, while the findings of Komnas HAM and the voices of the victims continue to be ignored.
At the same time, the state still relies on a security approach in dealing with demonstrations and implementing economic policies. Arbitrary arrests, forced disappearances, torture and extrajudicial killings still continue to occur. Evictions and confiscation of living space continue to occur in urban and rural areas and traditional communities. In the name of economic development, the state also allows environmental destruction to the point of ecological disaster which in reality is detrimental to the people and only benefits a handful of oligarchic elites. The patriarchal structure of state life is still maintained, while the state fails to guarantee the protection and security of women.
The official launch of the new national history book adds to the long list of immoral acts by the state in whitewashing the sins of the New Order and normalising the abuse of state power. Prior to this, a statement denying that gross violations of human rights took place during the May 1998 incident was made by Coordinating Minister for Law, Human Rights, Immigration and Corrections, Yusril Ihza Mahendra, and a denial of the mass rapes in the May 1998 incident by Minister of Culture Fadli Zon.
The state has also gave various forms of appreciation to people responsible for serious human rights violations, such as former East Timor militia leader Eurico Guterres, President Prabowo Subianto himself, Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, former General Zacky Anwar Makarim, former East Timor governor Abilio Jose Soares, former General Wiranto and former State Intelligence Agency (BIN) chief AM Hendropriyono. And most recently, is the awarding of the title of national hero to former president Suharto – whose regime bequeaths various practices of state violence throughout 1965-1998 – as well as former General Sarwo Edhie Wibowo, an individual who in the chain of command was responsible for the gross human rights violations of the 1965-66 affair.
Therefore, we who stand together and side with the victims, the victims' families and survivors of human rights violations and state violence declare that the launch of the book The National History of Indonesia without the voices of the victims is just a single narrative by the authorities which will be used as a tool of power. The National History of Indonesia is nothing less than an attempt to sideline the truth and undermine justice. We will continue to side with truth and justice. We refuse to forget and will continue to preserve these memories.
Jakarta, December 15, 2025
Civil Society Coalition Against Impunity
- The full document can be viewed here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rZCA87GBwyNyuh6QzIw6axma88GVBIiw/view?usp=sharing
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Tanpa Suara Korban, Sejarah Nasional Indonesia Hanyalah Narasi Penguasa!".]
Source: https://kontras.org/artikel/tanpa-suara-korban-sejarah-nasional-indonesia-hanyalah-narasi-penguasa
