PDIP to Inaugurate Kudatuli Monument at Party Headquarters on 27 July
The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) will inaugurate a monument dedicated to the Kudatuli incident on 27 July 2026. Party Secretary-General Hasto Kristiyanto stated that the monument is intended as a reminder of the events of 27 July 1996, so that violence carried out in the name of the state is never repeated.
Hasto made the remarks after attending a series of events marking the 30th anniversary of Kudatuli at Taman Ismail Marzuki (TIM) in Central Jakarta on Saturday. He confirmed the monument would be inaugurated at the PDIP Central Executive Board (DPP) office in Central Jakarta.
“PDIP will also hold a special activity on 27 July 2026, namely the inauguration of a Kudatuli monument to remind us that violence in the name of the state cannot be tolerated and must not happen again,” Hasto said.
According to him, the 30th anniversary of Kudatuli serves as a momentum for the nation, including PDIP, to reflect on the practice of power. He assessed that power which tends to be authoritarian and anti-criticism can have a detrimental impact on democracy.
“The 30 years since Kudatuli have made us aware that when authoritarian power is left unchecked, the result is chaos and darkness for the future,” he stated.
Hasto said the involvement of the public and academics in the series of Kudatuli commemorations is important for extracting lessons from history. He stressed the need for space for critical voices in democratic life.
“Democratisation is very necessary, along with press freedom, control from civil society, and various options that encourage Indonesia to move in a better direction,” Hasto said.
For PDIP, he added, the Kudatuli commemoration also serves as a reminder that the voice of the people must remain the basis for making political decisions. He expressed hope that the monument to be inaugurated could prevent the re-emergence of oligarchic power tendencies.
“The 30 years since Kudatuli teach us the importance of giving space to the people’s voice, including access to political decision-makers, so that we can collectively prevent the character of oligarchic power,” he concluded.
The Kudatuli incident refers to the violence that occurred at the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) office. The event took place at the DPP PDI headquarters in Menteng, Central Jakarta, on Saturday, 27 July 1996.
Citing the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM), the Kudatuli incident was allegedly triggered by a struggle for control of the PDI office between the Megawati Soekarnoputri faction and the Soerjadi faction. However, many parties have sensed irregularities behind this primary cause.
More than two decades after the riot, which claimed numerous victims, the aftermath of the 27 July 1996 Kudatuli incident remains etched in the memories of the victims, their families, and eyewitnesses to the unrest.
Based on the Komnas HAM investigation, it was reported that there were five fatalities, 149 injured, and 23 missing persons. The estimated material losses reached IDR 100 billion. To this day, the mastermind and the exact cause behind the Kudatuli case remain undisclosed, while the victims’ families continue to demand justice.