Should We Forgive Soeharto?

Calvin Michel Sidjaja on January 13th, 2008

The atmosphere of Indonesia could be best described as mixture of uncertainty and curiosity, this is especially true considering the critical ondition of ex-President Suharto. The ~~bastard~~ ex-dictator’s health condition has become spotlight of headlines among media since last week.

It noticeably also has been source of discussion among Indonesian Bloggers. (this post was marked as latest top post in my wordpress dashboard). People who took benefit of Suharto’s long reign would probably feel sorry or sympathize his critical, near-vegetative condition.

I won’t give preach about the corruption he has done during his one-third reign in here, public knows better. I won’t preach about the long list of his violation toward human rights I’m sure you know it better than I do.

There is only one thing I won’t forget, one thing I consider his gravest sin, personally: Javanization.

I don’t want to spark useless debate about racial issues, but I can’t help but associate Suharto with cultural genocide, especially toward Chinese minority in Indonesia. There are many third generation Chinese here who forget to speak their ancestor’s tongue, and alienated from their big family who still speak Chinese language.

I know there are cases when a Chinese descent feel shameful because they have physically Chinese attributes, but don’t speak Chinese speak at all. Maybe they speak Javanese more fluently than they supposed to be toward their ancestor’s language. Some maybe also feel confused about their identity, are they Javanese? Are they Chinese?

That’s one of the saddest fate of Chinese descent who live in Indonesia, they lost their cultural identity, all because ambition of one man.

I admit that Soeharto had been a great President. He was almost a Leviathan, but too bad he wasn’t. He is a man with Javanese-centric mentality. He considered himself a great king and all other were his vassals. He is nowhere a Leviathan.

He built this country in weak foundation, making us fell on the trap of great debt. His superiority complex made us non-Javanese to act and behave like one. Chinese descent may not spoke their language, and they miss the chance to take benefit of the rising China. Get the big picture?

I might forgive Soeharto if he gonna passed out real soon. Forgiven not forgotten. He’s suffering a great pain anyway. He might win and beyond the reach of the law, but he was beaten by himself, by his existence of human being.

I guess his fate only left with two options: to live and be judged by law, die and be judged by God.

Thank you Suharto, your cultural genocide has been a great success now. We don’t speak Chinese anymore. We are integrated as Indonesian now! We forget we are actually Chinese! Happy?

Reference:

BBC News - Suharto Condition, Very Critical

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Suasana harap-harap cemas tampaknya menyelimuti segenap penduduk negara ini, bagaimana tidak? Dalam satu minggu terakhir koran terus menerus mengupas kondisi kesehatan mantan presiden Soeharto. Blogger Indonesia juga sedang banyak mengulas mengenai kondisi Soeharto (di dashboard saya, postingan ini sedang menjadi top post). Bagi orang-orang yang kecipratan berkah finansial sewaktu Soeharto masih berkuasa, mungkin akan merasa kasihan dengan kondisi sang mantan presiden.

Saya tidak perlu berceloteh mengenai dugaan korupsi yang dilakukan Soeharto selama ia berkuasa, publik lebih banyak tahu. Saya juga tidak perlu mengingatkan mengenai rentetan pelanggaran hak asasi manusia yang ia lakukan selama berkuasa di negeri ini, Anda juga pasti lebih banyak tahu.

Satu-satunya yang membuat saya tidak akan melupakan perbuatan Soeharto hanyalah satu: JAWANISASI.

Saya tidak ingin memancing perdebatan soal rasial, tapi faktanya, kalau saya mengingat Soeharto, saya mau tidak mau mengingat pada genosida kultural yang ia lakukan pada etnis China di Indonesia. Anda yang keturunan China apakah pernah merasa teralienasi dari keluarga Anda yang masih menggunakan bahasa mandarin? Anda merasa malu karena anda memiliki mata sipit tapi tidak bisa mengucapkan kata-kata dalam bahasa nenek moyang Anda sepatah katapun? Atau mungkin anda malah lebih fasih dengan bahasa Jawa dibandingkan bahasa nenek moyang anda? Anda merasa bingung apakah Anda etnis China atau etnis jawa?

Jika ya, mungkin anda sama seperti minoritas orang China generasi ketiga lainnya yang kehilangan bahasa dan kultur mereka.

Saya mengakui Soeharto sebagai presiden yang hebat selama ia berkuasa. Dia nyaris menjadi presiden sempurna, sayang ia hanya manusia ~~bermental raja jawa~~ , bukan Leviathan. Dia membangun negeri kita di atas pasir, gali lubang tutup lubang. Kebanggannya sebagai seorang jawa membuat semua orang di nusantara harus memakai kebaya dan makan nasi. Orang keturunan China tidak boleh meneruskan kultur nenek moyang mereka.

Akhir kata, jika mantan presiden (mungkin) akan berpulang, saya (mungkin) akan memaafkan, tapi tidak akan melupakan. Toh dia sedang dan akan mengalami penderitaan lebih hebat lagi secara fisik. Dia mungkin menang di atas hukum. Dia tidak melewati proses hukum yang mungkin bisa memperbaiki nama baiknya.
Tapi akhirnya dia kalah oleh keterbatasan dirinya sebagai manusia yang akan mati dan sakit-sakitan.

Atau mungkin penduduk Indonesia akan lupa sejarah seperti biasanya? Membiarkan suatu kasus lenyap, lalu kasus Soeharto dilupakan begitu saja? Beruntung sekali diktator yang bangsanya lupa sejarah.

~~Jadi? Sudah mati atau belum?~~

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