Lontar launches book on Soeharto<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Celebrated philosopher Voltaire once said \"the only lesson one
\ncan learn from history is that the people never learn from
\nhistory\".<\/p>\n
Fortunately, this did not stop a number of noted writers from
\ncompiling yet another \"historical\" book that takes aim at former
\npresident Soeharto's infamous authoritarian regime -- the New
\nOrder.<\/p>\n
Publisher Lontar Foundation, in collaboration with the Asia
\nFoundation, called the collection Indonesia in the Soeharto
\nYears: Issues, Incidents and Images, and aimed to reflect and
\nscrutinize what went right and wrong during Soeharto's
\nleadership.<\/p>\n
Released on Friday to coincide with the Asia Foundation's 50th
\nanniversary in Indonesia, the book contains over 50 essays and
\ncountless photographs that serve as a reminder of both the good
\nand the bad times of Soeharto's many years in power.<\/p>\n
Divided into nine chapters, the pages run from the grim 1965
\nera -- when Soeharto clamored to power to become the country's
\nsecond president, replacing founding father Soekarno -- to last
\nyear's first-ever direct presidential elections.<\/p>\n
\"This book simply shares stories, some of them surely
\nopinionated, from the many important figures who had direct
\ncontact with Soeharto's leadership in various ways,\" said book
\ninitiator and coordinator John H. McGlynn.<\/p>\n
Essay contributors include former United States president
\nJimmy Carter, former minister and Soeharto aide Moerdiono,
\nrevered novelist Pramoedya Ananta Toer, who was once imprisoned
\nby Soeharto's New Order regime for supporting the formally legal
\nCommunist Party of Indonesia, human rights activist Asmara
\nNababan, and East Timor President Xanana Gusmao.<\/p>\n
\"We tried to make it as objective as possible as it remains
\nundeniable that while Soeharto installed many negative political
\nmaneuvers during his tenure, his administration produced so many
\nother positive things that Indonesia can be very proud of,\" said
\nMcGlynn.<\/p>\n
Soeharto, whose trial for corruption and gross human rights
\nabuses remains stalled due to his apparent poor health, has been
\ndespised for his authoritarian style of leadership that killed
\nfreedom of expression and diversity of opinion.<\/p>\n
On the other hand, his administration was once praised by the
\nUnited Nations for significant advances in Indonesia's family
\nplanning program, while international financiers lauded his
\ndevelopment plans, until, of course, things fell apart following
\nthe regional financial crisis of the late 1990s.<\/p>\n
\"The book contains shots of different events and stories that
\nhave taken place since Soeharto ruled until recently. There's no
\nabsolute truth that we can ever claim here.<\/p>\n
\"But by sharing these versions of history, it is hoped that we
\ncan learn to take the good things and leave behind the bad ones,
\nfor our own sake in the future,\" said contributor Taufik
\nAbdullah.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/lontar-launches-book-on-soeharto-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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