Indonesia Is Rewriting Its History β But At What Cost?
History is important; it is the foundation on which we stand as people living under the roof of a state or civilization. A state either learns from its wrongdoings or tries to hide them for reasons that can only be described as "saving face." History will either be uncovered or buried, depending on who rules the state. Therefore, history is never purely, honestly, or wholeheartedly documented; it is controlled to serve the interests of those in power β in other words, a plutocracy.
There are many countries that have suffered from this issue, and one of them is Indonesia. The country is known for being one of the worst archivists when it comes to historical documents. When it comes to historical accounts that portray the government in a negative light, they are often thrown straight into the trash. Recently, Indonesia has announced plans for an official rewriting of its history, in the form of a book β a "revision." The project will be handled by academics, cultural experts, and community leaders. In total: 113 writers, 20 volume editors, and 3 chief editors, including historians, archaeologists, and geologists. The following are the chapters included in the book:
- Early History of the Archipelago
- The Archipelago in the Global Network: India and China
- The Archipelago in Global Networks: Middle East
- Interaction with the West: Competition and Alliance
- Response to Colonization
- Nationality Movements
- Indonesia's War of Independence
- Turbulent Times and the Threat of Integration
- New Order (1967-1998)
- Reformation Era (1999-2024)
Indonesia's history is unclear and largely filled with propaganda stemming from the colonial era and the New Order. Much of it was written in a reactionary fashion: "We need to keep them out!" or "The communists are our real enemy!" β slowly shaping the narrative into one that leans toward fascism and dictatorship. There has been little to no real coverage of the catastrophes of genocide, dehumanization, and human rights violations. Watch The Look of Silence by Joshua Oppenheimer to see how the very people who carried out these government agendas were later given positions in the government.
According to the Minister of Culture, Fadli Zon, the urgency of this project is to diminish bias toward colonialism, strengthen national identity, and address the challenges of globalization that are relevant to the younger generation. In response to criticism and complaints, Singgih Tri Sulistiyono, one of the chief editors of the project, questioned the backlash: "It's not that every state-funded history writing involves manipulation, hegemony, distortion, and so on. This writing is not for the regime or the government currently in power, but we agree to do it for the benefit of the country," he said.
Some question the timing of why this project is only now being implemented under Prabowo's administration. Skepticism has surfaced due to Prabowoβs historical record, including allegations of involvement in the kidnapping of certain activists in 1989, as well as his background as a military general. Members of the Aliansi Keterbukaan Sejarah Indonesia (AKSI) have clearly stated their stance, pointing out the potential for historical manipulation and a non-egalitarian interpretation of history. This fact is further supported by Harry Truman Simanjuntak, one of the historians involved in the project, who left the project after a disagreement over the fact that the book's outline had already been given to them without any proper discussion among peers. Another point is reinforced by AKSI member Ita F. Nadia, who explained that the current contents of the book circulating publicly lack sufficient attention to the women figures who fought in the past.
Even though the book is not officialy released and is in the work, there are recent news about the project. Despite having 10 chapters, each with 500 pages long, Indonesian president, through the Minister of Culture, had agreed to cover only 2 out of 12 severe human rights violations cases:
- Peristiwa (1965-1966)
- Penembakan Misterius (Petrus) (1982-1985)
- Talangsari, Lampung (1989)
- Rumoh Geudong dan Pos Sattis Aceh (1998-1999)
- Penghilangan Paksa Aktivis (1997-1998)
- Tragedi Trisakti dan Semanggi I & II (1998-1999)
- Kerusuhan Mei (1998)
- Simpang KKA, Aceh (1999)
- Wasior, Papua (2001)
- Wamena, Papua (2003)
- Jambo Keupok, Aceh (2003)
- Peristiwa Timor Timur pasca-referendum (1999)
In line with the previous paragraph, one notable omission is the act of kidnapping that occurred near the end of the New Order in 1989 β an event in which Prabowo, the current president of Indonesia, was allegedly involved. The Minister of Culture justified this exclusion by emphasizing the need to maintain a positive narrative and tone: "Our tone is a more positive tone because if you want to easily find mistakes, there are mistakes in every era, in every period," he said.
The official rewriting of Indonesian history serves merely as a brochure for other countries, crafted for the benefit of economic relations.