TRAGEDI 98 DIHAPUS? Kenapa Pemerintah Merevisi Sejarah Indonesia? Banyak Berubah! | LearnByGoogling

Summary

The Indonesian government's controversial plan to revise the nation's official history, set to be released in 2025, has sparked debate among historians and citizens. Key changes include the reorganization of historical chapters, the removal of certain events like the 1998 human rights violations, and alterations to terms like 'prehistory' to 'early history.' While the government argues these revisions are based on new research and aim to strengthen national identity, critics worry that significant events and human rights abuses are being erased or downplayed. The revision has become a contentious issue, with concerns over subjectivity, omissions, and the representation of regions like Papua.

Takeaways

• 😀 The Indonesian government plans to revise the country's official history, with a new textbook set to be released by 2025.
• 😀 The revision aims to correct inaccuracies, update narratives, and strengthen national identity and nationalism.
• 😀 The new history book will expand from 8 volumes to 10, covering various historical periods and events, including early history, colonialism, and the Indonesian War of Independence.
• 😀 The term 'prehistory' has been changed to 'early history,' which has sparked controversy among historians due to its scientific implications.
• 😀 Key historical events, including the 1998 human rights violations and the Asia-Africa Conference, have been omitted from the revised draft, causing public outcry.
• 😀 Critics argue that the revision may erase important parts of Indonesia's past, especially related to the New Order period and human rights violations.
• 😀 The revision process has been criticized for being elite-centric and Indonesia-focused, with insufficient representation of regional histories, especially from Papua.
• 😀 The exclusion of significant events like the monetary crisis of 1998 and student demonstrations has raised concerns about the authenticity of the revised history.
• 😀 Historians like Ari Truman Simanjuntak oppose the change from 'prehistory' to 'early history,' believing it misrepresents scientific methods used to study that period.
• 😀 The Ministry of Culture assures that the revised history will be as objective as possible, with public involvement and communication encouraged to ensure inclusivity in the final draft.

Q & A

What is the main controversy surrounding the Indonesian government's plan to revise the official history?

The main controversy revolves around the revision of Indonesia's official history, particularly the omission of significant events, such as the 1998 human rights violations, and the replacement of key historical terms like 'prehistory' with 'early history,' which has sparked debates within the academic community.

Why is changing the term 'prehistory' to 'early history' controversial?

Changing 'prehistory' to 'early history' is controversial because the term 'prehistory' is scientifically used to describe periods without written records, and this shift could be seen as undermining the field of archaeology, which studies physical evidence from these periods.

What new additions are being made to the Indonesian history books as part of the revision?

The new revision will include 10 volumes, with chapters covering topics like early history, Indonesia's interactions with global networks, responses to colonialism, the nationalist movement, the Indonesian war of independence, the New Order, and the reform era, among others.

What is the government's main objective behind the revision of Indonesian history?

The government aims to correct inaccuracies in previous historical narratives, particularly regarding colonialism, and to strengthen national identity and a sense of nationalism through updated historical content.

How do historians view the government’s revision of Indonesian history?

Historians have mixed reactions. Some support the revision due to new discoveries in Indonesian history, while others, like Professor Ari Truman, criticize changes like the renaming of 'prehistory' to 'early history,' believing it deviates from established scientific methods.

What significant events are missing in the draft revision of Indonesia’s history?

The draft revision notably omits the 1998 human rights violations, the monetary crisis, student demonstrations, and the end of the New Order period. It also fails to mention significant events like the Asia-Africa Conference in 1955 and the first Indonesian Women's Congress in 1928.

What issue did Professor Albert Rumbackw raise about the revision?

Professor Albert Rumbackw criticized the revision for providing insufficient coverage of Papua’s history, asserting that the portrayal of Papua in the new history is still limited and that native Papuan historians should be more involved in documenting their own history.

What role does the Ministry of Culture play in the revision of Indonesian history?

The Ministry of Culture is responsible for overseeing the revision of Indonesia's official history, aiming to correct historical inaccuracies and update the content with new research, while also ensuring that the revised history promotes a stronger sense of national identity.

What criticism did Muhammad Reffi Omar Arazi offer about the revision?

Muhammad Reffi Omar Arazi criticized the revision for being too focused on elite narratives and top-down power structures, arguing that it largely ignores the experiences and perspectives of ordinary people.

What does Professor Susanto Zuhdi argue in defense of the revision?

Professor Susanto Zuhdi defends the revision by emphasizing that, although subjectivity in historical writing cannot be avoided, the goal is to create an objective account of Indonesian history. He assures that there will be no government interference in the writing process.