Fadli’s comments were “deeply hurtful” and dismissive of well-documented evidence of violence that targeted the Chinese-Indonesian community, said Diyah Wara Restiyati from the Indonesian Chinese Youth Association, as reported by news outlet The Jakarta Post.
“When government officials say the rapes didn’t happen, it deeply wounds us, especially Chinese-Indonesian women, who lived through that horror,” Diyah said.
Jakarta city councillor Fatimah Tania Nadira Alatas also criticised Fadli, saying his comments were unethical and an attempt to erase historical trauma.
“Historical wounds cannot be erased, especially not revised. The violence against women, particularly ethnic Chinese women, must be remembered so it never happens again,” said Tania, whose remarks were posted on the Jakarta NasDem Party’s social media accounts.
In the wake of public criticism, Fadli – who is with President Prabowo Subianto’s Gerindra party – said he was calling for “academic and legal caution” when referring to the incidents as mass rapes.
He said the term carries serious implications and must be backed by legally verified data, and that he was not denying sexual violence occurred during the 1998 riots, reported news site Jakarta Globe.
But Fadli criticised the fact-finding team’s work. Posting on social media platform X on Monday, he said its report listed numbers without detailed corroboration of information such as names, locations or perpetrators.
“We must be careful because this affects national dignity and truth,” Fadli said.
CONTROVERSY AROUND PLAN FOR NEW HISTORY BOOKS
The Indonesian government’s plan to launch new history books has been criticised by activists and historians.
A leading historian, Asvi Warman Adam, has said the draft downplays abuses and is “glorifying” the achievements made under Suharto’s regime, The Jakarta Post reported.
The draft outline includes only two out of 17 cases of gross human rights violations recognised by Indonesia’s National Commission on Human Rights, news outlet Nikkei Asia reported.
Some of the omitted cases include events involving President Prabowo, according to Nikkei Asia.
Prabowo has not commented on the project, Nikkei Asia reported. But he has previously said some former activists are now his supporters.
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.
Read the full article here
