TheJakartaPost
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The recent “soft launch” of a contentious government-commissioned history book has drawn sharp criticism from historians and rights activists over its secrecy and perceived efforts to shape Indonesia’s historical narrative.
The irony of declaring Soeharto a national hero is that Prabowo doesn't actually need the strongman's ghost to cement his legitimacy: He already has it in spades, and all he need do to carve out his legacy is to break with the past and forge ahead.
Twenty-seven years after his fall from power, President Prabowo Subianto has moved to restore his former father-in-law’s reputation by declaring Soeharto a national hero, reigniting debate over the late strongman’s repressive three-decade rule.
Yet, memories of Soeharto's heavy-handedness in governing the country have been passed down to these twentysomething youths during their formative years. Thus, it has become easier for them to denounce the plan from President Prabowo Subianto's administration to bestow national hero status upon the former general.
Awarding the national hero title for former president Soeharto, who was known for his 32 years of authoritarian rule, will betray the spirit of the reform movement of 1998 and the fight for justice for many victims of his crimes, activists have asserted.
