Marker Suharto Lengser: Economic Recession, Trisakti Tragedy, To May 1998 Riots

The action of Trisakti University students collided with security forces on May 12, 1998. (Wikimedia Commons)

JAKARTA - Suharto and the New Order (Orba) are getting more and more pressed. Economic recession exacerbated the situation in 1997-1998. All Indonesians began to fall to the lowest level. They were forced to fight with life and economic crush.

National figures and students are moving. They held a demonstration with Suharto's demands falling. However, the anti-criticism government damaged everything. The tragedy of Trisakti and Riots in May 1998 occurred. Something happened that ended Suharto and New Order's power.

Suharto and New Order's power was once strong enough. The government can control anything. They can stabilize the economy. They can also maintain the investment climate. This smoothness made the Indonesian economy improve. Even though the path that the New Order takes is a repressive government.

Recently, New Order has more and more often emerged with military forces to secure everything, from political opponents to land acquisition. This condition is exacerbated by the proliferation of New Order-era corruption.

Corruption is carried out in a crowd. Like what to plant, that's what tumbuh. New Order was also occupied in 1997-1998. Economic recession made things worse. People's lives are at their lowest point. The Indonesian people who were silent with the government's lifestyle chose to move.

National figures, youth, and students choose to take to the streets. Student's desire: Suharto stepped down. Various campuses in Jakarta also participated. Trisaksi University, one of them. Students, lecturers, employees, and Trisakti University alumni participated in demonstrations on May 12, 1998.

Instead of only holding the action on campus, they want to go to the MPR/DPR Senayan building. At first the action went smoothly. The security forces were able to escort students from start to finish. Problems arose when a group of students returned to campus.

Security forces suddenly attacked students. Four lives whose names are eternal until now. They include Elang Mulia Lesmana (The Faculty of Civil Engineering and Architectural Department Planning), Hafidhin Royan (The Faculty of Civil Engineering and Civil Engineering Planning), Hery Hartanto (Industrial Technology Faculty), and Hendriawan Sie (Fulty of Economics).

The absence of Trisakti University leaders has been contacted by high-ranking officials, security leaders and the Minister of Education so that those who died are immediately evacuated to be able to leave campus as soon as possible, as well as prevent public anger and other unwanted things.

Before the four coffins wrapped in the red-and-white flag were lifted, Chancellor Moertedjo delivered his brief remarks, Even though the government did not declare them heroes; but we, especially the Trisaksi University academic community, fully, in our hearts, consider them heroes and fighters of true reform!, said Sri Bintang Pamungkas in the book Change Regime Change Regime (2014).

The Trisakti tragedy has ignited the anger of the Indonesian people. The government's repressive cloth is seen. All Indonesians were moved to condemn the New Order's actions. Instead, only the falling song of flowers played, the struggle and series of actions took to the streets were also massive.

The narrative of protests appears everywhere. Suharto and the New Order were considered the main masterminds of the incident. The situation in Jakarta became chaotic and out of control. The riots known as the May 1998 riots occurred, from 13-19 May.

Fires and prisons occurred throughout Jakarta. Hundreds of people died and thousands of buildings were badly damaged. This condition is exacerbated by the occurrence of racial conflicts. Women of ethnic Chinese ethnicity became victims of harassment and rape. Riots also spread outside Jakarta.

In the midst of this unfavorable condition, Suharto was asked to resign by many parties. MPR chairman Harmoko also gave advice to resign. Suharto was pressed. Moreover, the United States (US) no longer supports Suharto. Many countries then appealed to their citizens to leave Indonesia.

The chaos made Suharto surrender. He immediately resigned from his position as Indonesia's number one on May 21, 1998. The option to resign is considered the only way so that riots and mass actions do not spread.

"Of course for us President Suharto's fall was due to the movements and actions of students and youth who acted as moral force and were driven by a desire for reform, but abroad the story circulated that Suharto was the IMF, with the possibility that the United States government would fully sympathize with this action."

"Because don't forget that one day before Suharto stepped down, American Foreign Minister Madeleine fire in a speech in front of the University community in Virginia slipped his call for Suharto to act according to his history, which implied that Suharto should step down as President," Rosihan Anwar said in the book Small History Petite Histoire Indonesia Volume I(2004).