Rights advocates oppose Suharto’s national hero nomination, calling it a betrayal of victims and democratic values amid Prabowo’s review.
JAKARTA: A proposal to include former Indonesian military dictator Suharto on the national heroes list has sparked strong opposition from rights advocates.
Approximately 500 civil society members, activists and academics published a letter to President Prabowo Subianto on Tuesday opposing the nomination.
“The awarding of the title of national hero to Suharto is not only a betrayal of the victims and democratic values, but also a betrayal of reform and constitutes a dangerous distortion of history for the younger generation,” the letter said.
Suharto ruled Indonesia with an iron fist for more than three decades after seizing power in 1967.
His regime was marked by allegations of corruption and widespread human rights abuses.
State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi confirmed last week that Prabowo was reviewing the national heroes shortlist.
The president has final authority to determine the list, which will be completed by November 10.
Rights groups highlighted numerous human rights violations during Suharto’s rule.
These included alleged massacres of student protesters by pro-Suharto forces before his 1998 downfall.
Marzuki Darusman, a former attorney general who signed the letter, expressed concern about the potential designation.
“If Suharto is awarded national hero status, it will be a monumental neglect of and insensitivity towards the human rights violations,” Darusman said at a press conference.
Amnesty International Indonesia executive director Usman Hamid questioned Suharto’s suitability for the honor.
“The law states that a hero must possess moral exemplarity, must have moral integrity, and must embody the qualities of social justice, humanitarian justice, and being on the people’s side,” Hamid told reporters.
“Now, if those values are applied to Suharto being given the title of national hero, those values are precisely contradicted,” he added.
A presidential spokesman did not respond to requests for comment about the controversy.
Prabowo, who is Suharto’s son-in-law, has faced protests since his election victory last year over economic inequality and political privileges. – AFP
