Natalius Pigai's Story Rejects Human Rights Violators To Become National Heroes

Natalius Pigai, who served as Commissioner of Komnas HAM for the 2012-2017 era. (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - The plan to award the title of national hero to Sarwo Edhie Wibowo was excited. The general crackdown on sympathizers of the 1965-1966 Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) is considered not worthy of being a national hero.

The protest was conveyed by Natalius Pigai. Commissioner of Komnas HAM in the 2012-2017 era refused human rights violators to become national heroes. He considered it unethical to give awards to Sarwo, who had sins in the past.

Suharto and Sarwo Edhie Wibowo are known as a duet that kills the existence of the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI). Both of them moved to crush the September 30th Movement (G30S) insurgency in 1965. The bloody rebellion tragedy was immediately resolved in a measured manner.

Suharto was then Pangkostrad. Sarwo Edhie as Commander of the Army Command Regiment (RPKAD) is now Kopassus. Suharto, who won the trust of the Indonesian people, tried to secure the country from the snares of the PKI.

The narrative made him move to get rid of PKI sympathizers throughout the country, especially in Java-Bali. Sarwo Edhie also got a role. He tried to lead the operation to crack down on PKI sympathizers. Sarwo Edhie also saw that the operation claimed lives of up to three million people from 1965-1966.

Sarwo Edhie considered this effort as an assessment to save the country. However, not a few saw the crackdown as a gross human rights violation. Many have revealed that not all PKI sympathizers are involved in the G30S. Not to mention that many of them were accused of being accused by the PKI and were crushed.

They have to bear the consequences. Moreover, until lives die. Their family could not live in peace in society. Sarwo Edhie himself died in 1989. Suharto also passed away in 2008.

However, Sarwo Edhie, who in fact is considered to have sin in the past, was even proposed to receive the title of national hero from 2013. The project is remembered as aji while. All because President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) became President of Indonesia in the 2004-2014 era was Sarwo Edhie's son-in-law.

"(Regularly) the title is proposed by the regional government but is still waiting (to follow up), because there is still a lot to be asked to the central government regarding the proposal. Regarding the nomination, I will ask the Regent".

"Everything is because those who propose it are the Regent and the people of Purworejo. The title is proposed indeed by the Regional Government but I am still waiting, and will communicate with the Regent regarding his considerations," said SBY's sister-in-law, Pramono Edhie as quoted by the website. , November 9, 2013.

The discourse of awarding the title of national hero to Sarwo Edhie was flooded with protests. Those who criticized and criticized bejibun. They also asked President SBY not to make Sarwo a hero because later it would have the potential to create a conflict of interest.

The loudest reaction came from Natalius Pigai. The commissioner became the most noisy person to reject Sarwo Edhie's plans to become a hero. Pigai confirmed Sarwo's role in the PKI crackdown operation while a historical black stain.

He considered the discourse could hurt the feelings of the family, children, and grandchildren of the victims. Instead of supporting the discourse of heroes to Sarwo Edhie, Pigai asked the government to immediately resolve the problem of gross human rights violations in 1965-1966.

The government was asked to justice the perpetrators and apologize to the families of the victims. This condition makes the government no longer have a debt to the families of the victims. Pigai's view is supported by many parties. This condition made the person who signed Sarwo Edhie's petition for rejection become a defender national hero.

The government of SBY has finally moved to respond. SBY chose not to appoint Sarwo Edhie as a national hero in his leadership era. However, if the future Indonesian leader wants to appoint, SBY doesn't mind.

Pigai was also the most noisy when Sarwo Edhie, who was considered a human rights offender, became a national hero. However, on the other hand, Pigai, who later became Minister of Human Rights since 2024, did not say much when Suharto was appointed a national hero on November 10, 2025.

"Regarding the awarding of the title of hero to Sarwo Edhie, we are of the view that it is very unethical that the title is given to someone who is suspected of having played a role in the 1965 incident because it will hurt the feelings of the family, children, grandchildren of the victims of the incident. Komnas HAM has tried so that the results of our investigation are followed up by the government, but the President himself has never responded positively. ."

"However, General Sarwo Edhie held an important position at that time, therefore his name was still considered by the public as one of the people involved in the 1965-1966 Incident, which became a black stain of the Indonesian nation. Therefore, I firmly reject if the title of national hero is given to Sarwo Edhie Wibowo before it is carried out by completing past gross human rights violations," Pigai said as quoted by the Wartakota website, November 28, 2013.