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RI reminded to cast eyes back, despite flaws
New book: Co-founder of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), Jusuf Wanandi (left), gives a copy of his memoir entitled Menyibak Tabir Orde Baru: Memoar Politik 1965-1998, to senior lawyer Adnan Buyung Nasution during an event to launch the book on Thursday
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New book: Co-founder of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), Jusuf Wanandi (left), gives a copy of his memoir entitled Menyibak Tabir Orde Baru: Memoar Politik 1965-1998, to senior lawyer Adnan Buyung Nasution during an event to launch the book on Thursday. (JP/Jerry Adiguna) (CSIS), Jusuf Wanandi (left), gives a copy of his memoir entitled Menyibak Tabir Orde Baru: Memoar Politik 1965-1998, to senior lawyer Adnan Buyung Nasution during an event to launch the book on Thursday. (JP/Jerry Adiguna)
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span class="inline inline-none">New book: Co-founder of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), Jusuf Wanandi (left), gives a copy of his memoir entitled Menyibak Tabir Orde Baru: Memoar Politik 1965-1998, to senior lawyer Adnan Buyung Nasution during an event to launch the book on Thursday. (JP/Jerry Adiguna)
As the 50th anniversary of the communist purge is only a year away, co-founder of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) Jusuf Wanandi called on the nation to dig deeper into the past.
A historical perspective, which takes in all the trials and tribulations, gives a more comprehensive view of a country's past and present.
'We have to see the country's history as a whole and not on a piecemeal basis,' Jusuf said during the launch of the Indonesian version of his memoir Shades of Grey: A Political Memoir of Modern Indonesia 1965-1998. The Indonesian title is Menyibak Tabir Orde Baru: Memoar Politik 1965-1998.
Jusuf said that historical events should be retold by the people who experienced it firsthand.
Historian from the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) Anhar Gonggong praised Jusuf's book and his effort to retell some of the crucial moments in the country's history in spite of the flaws.
'This book will broaden your perspective, because some of the facts are only known by only a handful of people,' Anhar said.
Anhar said that some of the content in Jusuf's book could have refuted some 'facts' presented by foreigners, including what director Joshua Oppenheimer tried to convey in his controversial semi-documentary film The Act of Killing.
'The book includes facts the writer, someone who lived the history and is an intellectual, experienced: Facts that could have been left out by The Act of Killing' Anhar said.
Political analyst Salim Said criticized the book for its 'cherry-picking'.
'Jusuf needs to add more details, or maybe it is a job that he should have delegated to researchers,' Salim said.
Salim, who also wrote a book about the New Order regime, acknowledged if it could be difficult to paint a clear picture about the New Order regime given the lack of witnesses willing to reveal the truth.
'As Jusuf offered, perhaps the CSIS can conduct interviews with people who had direct knowledge about past events,' Salim said.
The communist purge in September 1965 is considered as the country's darkest moment. Thousands of people were murdered or imprisoned for alleged ties to the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI).
There is little reference about the putsch given the New Order regime's effort to whitewash history from the time.
The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) said it had evidence proving government officials were involved in the killing of PKI members and alleged sympathizers in the aftermath of the aborted coup in 1965.
According to Komnas HAM, upward of one million people were victims of extra-judicial killings, imprisonment or exile.
The necessity to unveil the country's dark history also inspired the Oscar-nominated The Act of Killing. The film has received various awards and accolades. Earlier this week, the documentary won the Best Documentary Film category at the British Academy of Film and Arts (BAFTA).
