Jakarta, Nov 11 (V7N) — Indonesia has declared its former president and military ruler Suharto a “national hero,” a move that has triggered widespread anger and debate across the country.

According to a BBC News report, the decision has been met with strong criticism from human rights activists and intellectuals, who argue that honoring Suharto—accused of massive human rights abuses and authoritarian rule—is deeply inappropriate.

Suharto, who ruled Indonesia for more than three decades after seizing power in 1967, oversaw rapid economic growth but is also blamed for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people during anti-communist purges and for silencing political opposition through repression.

The government announced that 10 individuals, including Suharto, were granted the “National Hero” title this year. The list was read by the military secretary to President Prabowo Subianto, who is notably Suharto’s former son-in-law.

Indonesia’s Ministry of Social and Cultural Affairs had earlier nominated around 50 candidates for the honor. Suharto’s children accepted the award on Monday (November 11).

During a live broadcast from the president’s office, it was stated that Suharto earned recognition for his contributions during Indonesia’s independence movement—particularly for leading the evacuation of Japanese troops from Jakarta in 1945.

However, critics argue that the move attempts to rewrite history and whitewash Suharto’s legacy of dictatorship, sparking renewed debate over how Indonesia reconciles its past with its democratic present.

END/SMA/AJ