1998 mass rapes to be left out of Indonesia's national history rewrite, ‘need to be proven': Culture Minister

CNA

03-07-2025

JAKARTA: Mass rapes committed during Indonesia's 1998 riots will not be included in the government's ongoing national history rewrite project, according to the country's Culture Minister.
On Wednesday (Jul 2), Fadli Zon also confirmed that the project would proceed, despite criticism from historians and human rights activists.
'We expect our national history to strengthen the nation's unity in diversity,' said Fadli during a meeting with the House of Representatives at the Parliament Complex, as quoted by local news agency Antara.
Fadli said the revision of the country's official historical narrative aims to promote national unity that avoids deepening ethnic and communal divisions through a positive retelling of key events.
This comes despite findings by an official independent fact-finding team, TGPF, in October 1998 which documented widespread sexual violence during the riots, with 52 rape victims verified, according to local news outlet Jakarta Globe.
The report by the independent fact-finding team included 14 incidents of rape accompanied by physical violence, 10 victims of sexual assault and nine victims of sexual harrassment across Jakarta, Medan and Surabaya.
It was previously received by former President BJ Habibie, who had expressed regret over the violence, noted Commissioner Dahlia Madanih of the National Commission on Violence Against Women last month.
Speaking during the parliamentary hearing on Wednesday, Fadli acknowledged the 1998 sexual violence but questioned the use of the term 'mass rape', which he said requires legal and historical verification.
'Personally, I acknowledge and condemn the events but the word 'mass' needs to be proven,' the minister was quoted as saying by Jakarta Globe.
'We are not digging into who the perpetrators were, but ensuring it never happens again,' Fadli told lawmakers on Wednesday, adding that the government prefers to highlight narratives that unify the nation in the new history books.
He said these included international achievements and global leadership roles, such as the Asian-African Conference, held in Bandung in 1955, and the Non-Aligned Movement, of which Indonesia was a founding member.
Fadli's latest remarks on Wednesday sparked emotional reactions in the hearing from lawmakers MY Esti Wijayati and Mercy Barends from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P).
'It hurts even more the longer you speak, Mr Fadli,' Esti was quoted as saying by Jakarta Globe, with her voice trembling as she recalled being unable to return home during the 1998 unrest.
Following Esti's comment, Fadli apologised if his remarks came across as insensitive but reiterated that clear documentation and legal confirmation were necessary before the events could be classified as 'mass rape'.
'If it can be traced to who the groups and perpetrators were, it would be clearer,' the minister said, adding that he does not intend to deny or cover up the violence.
Fadli, who is part of President Prabowo Subianto's Gerindra party, said that the history rewrite is targeted for completion by August this year to coincide with the country's 80th Independence Day celebrations.
Last month, Fadli came under fire for his remarks that the mass rapes were 'all hearsay' and 'rumours', inciting concerns over the government's plan to launch a new 10-volume series of history books during Indonesia's Independence Day on Aug 17. Some historians say these history books will omit major human rights violations.
'This is about leaving a history for our children and grandchildren,' Fadli said on Wednesday.
'We have not updated our historical narrative for 26 years and this is our chance.'
The unrest in Indonesia in 1998 arose from economic turmoil and mounting anger at former President Suharto's authoritarian rule. Chinese-Indonesians were targeted in riots that broke out in various cities in May that year, days before Suharto resigned.
The violence remains a sensitive issue in Indonesia, with activists repeatedly urging the government to officially acknowledge and investigate the sexual violence against women.
Rights groups have said that the lack of legal resolution continues to deny justice to the victims, many of whom remain silent due to fear and stigma.
'The survivors have borne the burden in silence for too long. This denial is not only painful but also perpetuates impunity,' Dahlia from the National Commission on Violence Against Women said on Jun 15, as quoted by Antara.
'When government officials say the rapes didn't happen, it deeply wounds us, especially Chinese-Indonesian women, who lived through that horror,' Diyah Wara Restiyati from the Indonesian Chinese Youth Association previously said in June, as reported by local media.
A 30-page draft outline of the rewrite project only included two out of 17 cases of gross human rights violations recognised by Indonesia's National Commission on Human Rights, media outlet Nikkei Asia reported.
Some of the omitted cases include events involving President Prabowo, according to Nikkei Asia.
Prabowo, a former general, was accused of orchestrating the 1997-1998 kidnapping and forced disappearance of 22 activists critical of Suharto, including 13 who are still missing today. Suharto was Prabowo's former father-in-law.