Indonesia’s decision to posthumously name former president Soeharto a National Hero has reignited fierce debate over how the country remembers its past. The announcement, made by Defence Minister and President-elect Prabowo Subianto in early November, comes 26 years after Soeharto was ousted amid mass protests over corruption, repression, and human rights violations.

The ceremony at the State Palace in Jakarta was part of the annual Heroes’ Day commemoration. Soeharto was among several figures recognised for their contribution to the nation. Others included Marsinah, a factory worker and labour activist who was murdered in 1993 after leading wage protests during Soeharto’s rule, BBC Indonesia reports.

The inclusion of both names in the same ceremony captured the contradiction at the heart of Indonesia’s memory: the state honouring both the dictator and one of his victims.

Government’s defence

Minister of State Secretariat Pratikno said Soeharto’s nomination had gone through standard procedure via the National Hero Council. He explained that the assessment focused on Soeharto’s role in Indonesia’s independence struggle and his efforts to maintain unity.

However, activists, scholars and citizens condemned the move as historical revisionism. The hashtag #SoehartoBukanPahlawan, meaning “Soeharto is not a hero”, trended for hours as many accused the government of selective memory.

Human rights activist Mugiyanto, a victim of enforced disappearance in 1998, told BBC Indonesia that honouring Soeharto “insults victims of repression.” He said the decision showed how the state had turned its back on justice.

Opposition from civil groups 

Outside the government, opposition parties and civil society groups questioned the motives behind the decision. The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) described it as politically charged, given the proximity to the 2025 election and the involvement of Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto — Soeharto’s former son-in-law and a leading presidential candidate, BBC Indonesia reports.

Dimas Bagus Arya, coordinator of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (KontraS) condemned the award, arguing it disregarded victims’ pain and undermined decades of human rights advocacy. 

He reminded that Soeharto’s regime was responsible for grave abuses — from the mass killings of 1965–66, where historians estimate between 500,000 and 1mn were killed, to the abduction of student activists in 1997–98. “These are not mistakes to be erased with a medal,” Dimas added.

Amnesty International Indonesia echoed the criticism, calling the title “deeply inappropriate” and urging the government to prioritise justice for past crimes.

Soeharto legacy 

Soeharto ruled Indonesia from 1966 to 1998 under the New Order regime, a period of economic development built on authoritarian control. Backed by the military, he banned opposition parties, censored the press and imprisoned thousands without trial.

He consolidated power after the failed 1965 coup, launching an anti-communist purge that became one of the deadliest massacres of the 20th century. Victims included alleged communists, leftists and ethnic Chinese, often targeted with the support of the army.

Human Rights Watch once described Soeharto as “one of Asia’s most enduring dictators,” whose government institutionalised censorship and political imprisonment.

Historian Asvi Warman Adam told BBC Indonesia that naming Soeharto a national hero without acknowledging the atrocities of his rule “distorts the historical record.” He said heroism should represent moral integrity and humanity, not only economic progress.

Political researcher Firman Noor from the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) warned that the move could be seen as an attempt to rewrite history for political convenience. He cautioned that glorifying Soeharto could normalise impunity and weaken Indonesia’s democracy.

The irony of Marsinah

Among those honoured alongside Soeharto was Marsinah, a 23-year-old factory worker from East Java whose name has long symbolised resistance to injustice. Marsinah led labour protests in 1993, during Soeharto Era, demanding fair pay and was later found dead with signs of torture. Her murder, widely believed to be linked to the military, remains unsolved.

Human rights lawyer Veronica Koman called the government’s decision “deeply ironic.”

“To honour Soeharto — whose regime created the conditions for Marsinah’s murder — at the same time as Marsinah herself is to show how Indonesia still struggles to face the truth,” Koman wrote on X, BBC reports.

Beyond Marsinah, countless other victims of human rights abuses stand in silent testimony — the hundreds of unnamed victims of the 1965–66 massacres, the hundreds killed in Indonesia’s genocide in Santa Cruz, East Timor, the women subjected to mass sexual violence during the 1998 reform period, and the thousands more who remain voiceless simply because they lacked proximity to power.

Meanwhile, hundreds of families of students who were shot and forcibly disappeared in 1998 remain steadfast in their weekly “Kamisan” protests, gathering under black umbrellas in front of the Presidential Palace, waiting for answers and justice that now feel increasingly out of reach.

Memory and reckoning

For many Indonesians, the controversy surrounding Soeharto’s designation as a national hero reflects a deeper conflict between nostalgia and accountability.

As a bno Indonesia correspondent who grew up in Bandung, I remember how my father mourned the death of his fellow journalist, Udin, who was found murdered after publishing critical reports during Soeharto’s regime. I still recall the fear that gripped our family each time my father went out to cover stories about the government, terrified that he might meet the same fate.

I can vividly remember my mother weeping when nearby shops were looted, leaving her unable to buy formula milk for my baby brother during the 1998 unrest. And, of course, I still remember the joy that filled our home when the news broke that students had occupied the parliament building and Soeharto had finally stepped down.

Soeharto’s appointment as a national hero not only distorts Indonesia’s history but also feels like a cruel joke to the families of victims still fighting for justice. It is a painful reminder that 23  protesters from 1998 remain missing without a trace, while families of those shot dead still wait for justice: Petrus Bima Anugrah, Herman Hendrawan, Suyat, Widji Thukul, Yani Afri, Sony, Dedi Hamdun, Noval Alkatiri, Ismail, Ucok Munandar Siahaan, Hendra Hambali, Yadin Muhidin, Abdun Nasser, Elang Mulya Lesmana, Hafidin Royan, Hendriawan Sie and Benardinus Realino Norma Irawan.

Soeharto may now bear the title of “hero,” but their names must never be forgotten.