These atrocities have been acknowledged by the state as gross human rights violations. Both early reform-era legislative decrees and a formal statement by President Joko Widodo in January 2023 confirmed state responsibility. Yet to date, no leading perpetrators, including Soeharto himself, have ever faced legal accountability for these crimes.

Amnesty urged the Indonesian government to focus on delivering justice for victims and families, rather than offering state honors to those responsible. “What Indonesia needs is truth and reconciliation, not revisionism,” said Hamid. “The focus should be on legal and non-legal avenues to resolve past violations—not rewarding impunity.”

The organization firmly rejected Soeharto’s nomination and called on President Prabowo Subianto to remove his name from the final list. “Soeharto does not belong in the same breath as Indonesia’s true heroes,” Amnesty stated. “This is not just a poor choice—it is a dangerous rewriting of history.”

The list of 40 nominees includes other prominent figures such as labor activist Marsinah, former president Abdurrahman Wahid (Gus Dur), former defense minister M. Jusuf, and ex-Jakarta governor Ali Sadikin. Several revered Islamic scholars have also been nominated, including Syaikhona Kholil from Bangkalan, KH Bisri Syansuri, and KH Yusuf Hasyim from Jombang.

Culture Minister Fadli Zon confirmed that all names on the list had passed through a formal review by the Honorary Titles and Decorations Council (GTK). The final decision now rests with President Prabowo, with the announcement expected ahead of Indonesia’s National Heroes Day on November 10. Whether Soeharto’s name remains on that list may become a defining moment for the nation’s commitment to its reform-era ideals. (Uki)

YouTube player