Seminar | Admitting but not apologizing: Indonesia’s response to 1965-66 Genocide | Taufiq Hanafi

On January 11, 2023, Indonesian President Joko Widodo publicly acknowledged twelve instances of gross human rights violations committed by the state, the most notable of which was the 1965-66 genocidal purge of the left. While widely praised as a step toward justice and crucial for ending impunity, this acknowledgement lacked a formal apology and commitment to judicial redress.

This seminar will explore the reason behind this omission and the socio-political dynamics that shape the state’s selective acknowledgement and avoidance of full accountability, especially the influence of military and anti-communist factions. Through historical analysis and international comparison, it will consider the structural barriers to achieving comprehensive justice and transitional healing in Indonesia.

Speaker

Taufiq Hanafi is a postdoctoral researcher at KITLV. His research interest is in cultural politics, especially with regard to the production of knowledge in Indonesia. His current research examines state violence and the role of intellectuals in shaping discourse surrounding human rights violations in Indonesia.

Moderator

David Kloos is a senior researcher at KITLV. He is interested in religion, gender, violence, colonialism, knowledge formation, visual methods, and the social and political aspects of climate change.

Format, date, time & venue

This seminar will be held in the conference room of KITLV, Herta Mohr building, room 1.30, Witte Singel 27 A, Leiden, on Tuesday 19 November from 15.30 – 17.00 PM (CET). DRINKS AFTERWARDS!

Registration

If you want to join this seminar, please register via: [email protected].

Image

President Joko Widodo at Istana Merdeka, Jakarta, delivering a press release after receiving recommendations from the Team for the Non-Judicial Resolution of Past Gross Human Rights Violations (Tim PPHAM). Photographer: ANTARA/Gilang Galiartha.