Kiki Safitri, Ardito Ramadhan, Jakarta – Social Affairs Minister Saifullah Yusuf has stated that the government will consider all input related to the discourse on naming the 2nd President of the Republic of Indonesia, Suharto, a national hero.
This was conveyed by Gus Ipul, as he is called by his friends, when receiving a number of activists from the Civil Society Movement to Bring Suharto to Justice (Gemas), who reject Suharto being made a national hero.
"The Ministry of Social Affairs receives input through normal procedures, from the public to local governments and finally to the central [government]", said Gus Ipul at the Ministry of Social Affairs office in Jakarta on Thursday May 15.
"Our team consists of academics, historians and community leaders who will consider all sides of this process", he said.
Minister of Social Affairs special staff member Abdul Malik Haramain added that all input will be reviewed objectively by the National Hero Title Review and Research Team.
"This input is positive and we accept it. We will study it in the review team, and if it's complete, we will submit it to the Titles Board. Everything will be discussed in detail and comprehensively", said Haramain.
The Gemas activists initially held a demonstration in front of the Ministry of Social Affairs office on Thursday morning until noon to convey their rejection of Suharto being made a national hero. Gemas representatives were then invited to have an audience with Yusuf.
Amnesty International Indonesia Executive Director Usman Hamid as the representative of Gemas stated that they reject Suharto being made a national hero because Suharto's leadership does not meet the legal criteria regarding the title of national hero.
"We emphasise that Suharto's leadership was far from moral integrity, justice and humanity", Hamid said. "Reforms to eliminate the practices of corruption, collusion, nepotism and state violence actually emerged because of his regime", he continued.
He also noted that Suharto died with the status of a suspect in a corruption case. In fact, international institutions such as the World Bank, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and Transparency International included him in a list of the world's most corrupt leaders.
Gemas also submitted three documents to support their rejection of the discourse on Suharto becoming a national hero. The documents include arguments and legal references as well as an international petition from world civil society organisations supporting the rejection.
"Previously, it was said that the proposal to give Suharto the title of national hero came from a proposal from the public. However, in this forum, we hope that the proposal to reject it from the public can also be considered", said Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) Impunity Monitoring Division head Jane Rosalina.
Gemas also noted that People's Consultative Assembly Decree (TAP MPR) Number 11/1998 on the revocation of Suharto's authority is still valid to this day and cannot be used as a basis for awarding the title.
"In addition to the documents, a petition signed by more than 6,000 people was also submitted by Widjo Untung, a victim of the 1965 Affair", said Rosalina.
"We also received support from the international community to reject the title of hero to Suharto in the form of a joint statement that has been signed. At least 30 international institutions have signed and we have also submitted it", she said.
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Aktivis Demo Tolak Soeharto Jadi Pahlawan Nasional, Mensos Janji Terima Masukan".]