Dani Aswara, Jakarta – The Civil Society Coalition Against Impunity held a protest today in front of the Ministry of Culture office in Central Jakarta, rejecting the government's plan to bestow the national hero title on former President Soeharto.

"This protest directly addresses the government's imminent plan to declare Soeharto a national hero," said Andrie Yunus, Deputy Coordinator of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) for External Affairs, at the protest.

The coalition, comprising Kontras, Jakarta Legal Aid Institute (LBH Jakarta), Imparsial, Amnesty International Indonesia, and several Student Executive Boards of Law Faculties (including those from the University of Indonesia and Muhammadiyah University of Jakarta), also raised concerns about the appointment of Fadli Zon as the Chairperson of the Council for Awards, Medals, and Honors.

The Minister of Culture's recent statement, claiming no evidence of mass rape during the May 1998 riots, also drew sharp criticism. "That statement shows a dismissive attitude towards historical facts. This is a basis for our gathering," Andrie emphasized.

During the protest, the coalition presented nearly 2,000 pages of documented evidence, which they referred to as "Soeharto's sins" during his New Order leadership. These documents contain records of serious human rights violations that remain unresolved.

"During the New Order, we recorded a large number of serious human rights violations that have never been prosecuted," Andrie added.

The coalition plans to submit these documents directly to the Ministry of Culture through the Directorate General of History. "We've been informed the Director General of History will receive them, and we will also submit them to other relevant parties," Andrie said.

The coalition hopes these documents will be considered in future national historical writing processes. They demand that the government neither erase nor manipulate the facts of human rights violations from the New Order era.

"The Civil Society Coalition's position is to remind the government not to rewrite history dishonestly. [We are concerned that] many human rights violations may be omitted, despite being a dark chapter that the younger generation must understand," he concluded.

The coalition urges the government, particularly the Directorate General of History and the Ministry of Culture, to thoroughly review and consider the submitted documents.

Source: https://en.tempo.co/read/2021840/civil-society-coalition-protests-plan-to-name-soeharto-national-her