Twenty-eight years after Indonesia's 1997 political and economic crisis and the 1998 tragedy, the state and the ruling regime have never resolved the problem of the rights abuses that occurred at that time.
Documents containing the term 'New Order'


More than 100 human rights defenders experienced various forms of attacks in the first half of 2025 said Amnesty International Indonesia today in Jakarta. Between January and June 2025, Amnesty International noted that at least 104 human rights defenders became victims of attacks recorded in 54 ca

Jayapura, Jubi – The Yahukimo regency District Police (Polres) in Papua Highlands province released four activists from the Yahukimo regional West Papua National Committee (KNPB) on Monday afternoon July 14.

Jakarta – The mass rapes during the May 1998 riots in Jakarta accompanying the wave of demands for reformasi or political reform that that brought down the New Order regime (Orba) of former president Suharto,

Jakarta – Protesters from the Civil Society Coalition Against Impunity held a demonstration in front of the Ministry of Culture building in Jakarta on Thursday June 26 in which they rejected the discourse on awarding the title of national hero to the 2nd President of the Republic of Indonesia, Suharto, and criticised

Indonesia has a long history of struggle by the oppressed people against colonialism, feudalism, militarism and capitalism. In this struggle, left-wing ideas played a central role as one of the main currents in shaping political awareness, the strategies of struggle and the direction of national development.

An advocate for victims of sexual violence against ethnic Chinese women during the May 1998 tragedy, Ita Fatia Nadia, says she has suffered repeated incidents of intimidation after criticising a statement by the Minister of Culture, Fadli Zon, in which he said there was no e

In a joint statement the Civil Society Coalition Against Impunity, which is made up of a number of civil society organisations and individuals, strongly condemned a statement made by the Minister of Culture of the Republic of Indonesia, Fadli Zon, regarding the May 1998 affair.

Every year from May 26 to 31, the international community commemorates Enforced Disappearance Week. This commemoration began with the actions by the families of victims of enforced disappearances in Latin America who are members of the Latin American Federation of Associations for Relatives of Dis

Dika Mohammad – Reformasi – the political reform process that began in 1998 – was an important moment in Indonesian political history. It marked the end of the New Order authoritarian regime.

Jakarta – Research by the Setara Institute for Peace and Democracy has concluded that the state of freedom of religion and belief (KBB) in 2024 showed signs of regression or setbacks at the end of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo' administration and the begin

The Labour Movement with the People (GEBRAK) strongly condemns the repressive actions by police in handling a peaceful demonstration to commemorate the 27th anniversary of reformasi held by Trisakti University students on Tuesday May 21 in front of the

Jayapura – The struggle of the Papuan people to determine their own future as an independent and sovereign nation has been going on for a long time, since the Indonesian government unilaterally claimed the territory of West Papua through the manipulation of the UN sponsored Pepera ref

Danu Damarjati, Jakarta – Thousands of imitation skulls were scattered around a hotel in Jakarta on Saturday May 24 as a symbol of how dark and terrifying the New Order era of former president Suharto was.

Nicholas Ryan Aditya, Robertus Belarminus, Jakarta – Hundreds of people from a number of 1998 activist groups gathered at a hotel in South Jakarta on Saturday May 24 to discuss and express their position of rejecting the proposal that the second President of the Republic of Indonesia, Suharto, be made a

The Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) has highlighted the government's plan through the Ministry of Culture to rewrite Indonesian history.

Nicholas Ryan Aditya, Danu Damarjati, Jakarta – The Civil Society Coalition for Security Sector Reform is urging President Prabowo Subianto and the House of Representatives (DPR) to immediately review Presidential Regulation (Perpres) Number 66/2025 on State Protection for Prosecutors.

Adhyasta Dirgantara, Dani Prabowo, Jakarta – 98 activist and Central Tapanuli Regent Masinton Pasaribu says that labour figure Marsinah is more deserving of the title of national hero than the 2nd president of Indonesia Suharto.

Hendrik Khoirul Muhid, S. Dian Andryanto – The monetary crisis in 1997 and the people's weariness with the New Order government made activists speak out for reform. These vocal efforts however were silenced repressively for the sake of maintaining president Suharto's position.

Hendrik Khoirul Muhid, S. Dian Andryanto, Jakarta – The realisation of the 1998 reforms did not happen suddenly. Efforts to overthrow the authoritarian New Order regime of President Suharto had to be paid for with gross human rights violations.