Jakarta – The Civil Society Coalition against Impunity interrupted a working meeting between Minister of Culture Fadli Zon and House of Representatives (DPR) Commission X at the parliament complex in Jakarta on Wednesday July 2.
A number of coalition members unfurled banners containing their demands from balcony overlooking the working meeting. The banners contain their opposition of the Indonesian history rewrite project being undertaken by the Ministry of Culture.
A black banner stretching from the balcony of the meeting area read "Fully resolve gross human rights violations".
In other banners the Coalition also declared their opposition to awarding of the title of national hero on the 2nd President of the Republic of Indonesia, Suharto.
"Stop the whitewashing of history. Listen to the victims' voices. Reject the title of hero for Suharto", shouted a number of Coalition members simultaneously.
Shortly after the shouts, security officers intervened and immediately dispersed the action. Fadli Zon meanwhile just smiled a little but did not respond to Coalition's action.
In a statement, the Coalition asked Zon to publicly withdraw earlier remarks denying that mass rapes occurred during the May 1998 riots in Jakarta and immediately provide a clarification. They also asked Zon not to use his position as Minister of Culture to revise history.
The history rewriting project has ignited a polemic ranging from historians and academics to human rights activists and the political parties.
The project has been criticised because it is said to not present historical facts objectively. Minister Zon himself has stated that the historical project aims to encourage national unity.
Meanwhile two political party factions in the DPR, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) and the National Awakening Party (PKB), have declared their positions on the project. They have asked Zon to postpone the project which was originally planned to be completed in August this year. (thr/wis)
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Koalisi Sipil Geruduk Fadli Zon di DPR, Protes Pemutihan Sejarah".]
