TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Amnesty International Indonesia considers Minister of Culture Fadli Zon's dismissal of the mass rape tragedy during the May 1998 riots as a mere rumor to be part of the government's effort to defend itself from its dark past.
"They are evading the guilt, the shame, and the discomfort left by their (the ruling power's) dark past," said Amnesty International Director Usman Hamid in a virtual press conference for Civil Society Against Impunity on Friday, June 13, 2025.
According to Usman, the minister's crude dismissal proves activists' suspicion that the history rewriting project undertaken by the government aims to erase the black marks left by those in power, including President Prabowo Subianto.
The notion that there is no valid evidence of the incident, according to Usman, is a fatal error. From a linguistic standpoint, a rumor is a widely circulated story or report that lacks authority to confirm the truth. Meanwhile, the mass rape incident has been repeatedly verified for its authenticity by various official authorities.
Such verification includes the Joint Fact-Finding Team formed by former President Habibie in July 1998, as well as approval by the Minister of Defense and Security, the Commander of the Armed Forces, the Minister of Justice, the Minister of Home Affairs, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Women's Empowerment, and the Attorney General.
The state's National Commission on Human Rights, or Komnas HAM, also acknowledges the mass rape tragedy as 1 of the 12 gross human rights violations that require prosecution.
"These teams were formed by official institutions and in accordance with the law," said Usman.
The Amnesty International member also refuted Fadli Zon's argument that the mass rape stories could not be used as evidence in a court of law. According to Usman, the minister's reasoning is invalid since the government never even held trials to prosecute these cases of grave human rights violations.
Instead of erasing it from history, Usman said, the Indonesian government should have held trials for the cases "to examine all reports and evidence related to the mass rape."
Fadli Zon's controversial statement on the 1998 mass rape incident was voiced during an interview with IDN Times senior journalist Uni Zulfiani Lubis on the process of the government's history rewriting project.
Fadli initially explained that rewriting history aims to clarify rumors that have long been considered as historical facts. Fadli then used the mass rape incident as an example of a rumor that he wished to correct.
"Mass rape, who says that? There's never been any proof of it. It's a story. If it's true, then show it, is it in any history books?" said Fadli Zon in an interview aired on the IDN Time's YouTube channel on Wednesday, June 11, 2025. Uni Lubis, as the chief editor, allowed Tempo to quote Fadli Zon's statement in the video.
The former Deputy Speaker of the House also mentioned that he had tested historians by stating that the incident had been acknowledged by fact-finding teams. "I myself have denied that, and they (history rewriters) cannot prove it," Fadli said.
Disclaimer: If you or someone you know is experiencing or has experienced or witnessed sexual assault, harassment, and/or gender-based violence, please contact the nearest authorities and organizations. If you’re in Indonesia, you can call Pulih Foundation at (021) 78842580, Komnas Perempuan at (021) 80605399, or the Ministry of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection’s SAPA Service 129 at 08111 129 129. For immediate dangers, call the police at Call Center 110.
Editor’s Choice: Bandung Rape Case: Komnas Perempuan Urges Thorough Evaluation on Hospitals
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