A quarter century has passed since the sprawling archipelago nation of Indonesia ended the strongman rule of General Suharto – although not an authoritarian mindset left behind among the governing elite. On Wednesday, the Southeast Asian country began an important shift to liberate itself from the burden of past atrocities, even those committed by governments during the post-Suharto era.
President Joko Widodo, elected twice in the world’s third largest democracy, expressed deep regret for 12 of the most egregious cases of mass human rights violations over the past six decades. While not a full-throated apology, his official contrition on behalf of the state also came with a promise to make amends and pursue both reconciliation and justice.
“I have deep sympathy and empathy for the victims and victims’ families,” he said after receiving a report from a team set up last year to review recent Indonesian history. “Therefore, first of all, the government and I are trying to restore the victims’ rights in a fair and wise manner without negating the judicial settlement. Second, the government and I hope that serious human rights violations will no longer occur in Indonesia in the future.”
That last remark reflects the difficulty for Indonesia’s elected leaders in confronting security forces that see themselves as guardians of national unity in a country that has coped with separatist insurgencies, from Aceh on the island of Sumatra to the easternmost province of Papua.
Indonesia has also not come to grips with its most violent period – the anti-communist, anti-Chinese massacres in 1965-66 when Suharto took control and reigned for 32 years. (That dark period was made famous 11 years ago in the documentary film “The Act of Killing.”) The world’s fifth most populous country also needs justice and reconciliation for the mass killing of pro-democracy activists in 1998 who helped force Suharto to step down.
The president’s attempts to reopen the past may reflect a reaction to last year’s full apology by Indonesia’s former colonial master, the Netherlands, for its violence during the 1945-1949 struggle for Indonesian independence. The Dutch also offered compensation to the children of executed Indonesians, a step that Indonesia might follow for victims of its own past abuses.
Humility can beget humility in the healing of nations. The first step is shining a light on the errors committed, which can then bring about a measure of justice and mercy, not to mention rule of law and civic equality. Only then, as Mr. Widodo suggests, can massacres be prevented.