Usman Hamid: Inauguration Of History Is Only Carried Out By Fascist Countries

Eddy Wijaya and Executive Director of Amnesty International Indonesia, Usman Hamid. (Doc Eddy Wijaya)

JAKARTA - Executive Director of Amnesty International Indonesia, Usman Hamid criticized the steps taken by the Indonesian Ministry of Culture to rewrite Indonesia's history. He assessed that writing which will later be designated as official history can direct Indonesia into a fascism state system.

"Is it appropriate to take the policy of rewriting history to be made official history? For us not, it's just countries with fascist political systems. The fascism has several elements, authoritarianism means centralized, strong, no opposition, and militarism, controlled by military means," Usman said while talking to Eddy Wijaya on the EdShareOn podcast which aired on Wednesday, June 18, 2025.

According to Usman, the characteristics of a country with a fascism system are carrying out a historical uniformity movement through official historical claims that narrate its greatness, resulting in the growth of excessive national pride in society.

"Hitler (Germany) wants a single history, Mussolini in Italy wants a single history, official history, Franco in Spain wants official history," he said. It can lead to aggressive nationalism, nationalism which in the term Sukarno, chauvinistic which seems to be much higher than other nations. So fascists," he added.

Minister of Culture Fadli Zon issued a controversial policy through plans to rewrite Indonesian history. The writing will be compiled into 10 major volumes covering Indonesia's history from prehistoric to the era of President Joko Widodo. The project will soon be completed because it will be a gift on the 80th Indonesian Birthday (HUT) on August 17, 2025. However, various parties rejected the policy because it was feared that it would only be in accordance with the authorities' wishes. Archaeologist Harry total Simanjuntak, who was originally one of the team of writers, finally resigned on January 22, 2025.

Usman explained that the impact of fascism that can be caused by official history can be avoided by writing history honestly, including past dark events such as the 1988 riots, namely the kidnapping of student activists, the tragedy of the shooting of Tri Sakti students, and the suppression of ethnic Chinese. Well, that should be part of the rewriting of history. So our past uncertainty, including (year) 65 killings of people deemed communists, said the dropout of the Faculty of Law, University of the Milky Way.

History that is also important, Usman explained, namely Indonesia's involvement in the international world, such as the Asian-Africa consensus and President Sukarno's connection with world leaders in its time. "So that our young generation, schools in elementary, junior high, high school educational institutions understand the history of their nation in world history," he said.

The member of the Indonesian History Openness Alliance (AKSI) added that the last rewriting of history was carried out in 2012 with the title of the book Indonesia in the History Flow. This book is a reference for history lessons in schools, as well as the new history that will be inaugurated. It's okay, Ministry of Culture if for example you want to continue, but don't make it an official history. Later, pity our school children," he said.

Indonesia Must Recognize Rape Incidents In Riots May 98

Amnesty International Indonesia Executive Director, Usman Hamid advised the Indonesian government to pay attention to the mass rape of Chinese women at the May 1988 riots. According to him, this humanitarian event is part of the dark history of the Indonesian nation which must be remembered.

"The government regrets (there is) this act. Apologizes and the government promises that nothing else will happen in a concrete way. Whether it makes a museum like in Germany or America. Set one day as a day of national mourning, provide families of victims of legal justice, and moral justice," Usman told Eddy Wijaya.

The man who was born in Jakarta, May 6, 1976 said that the government should not ignore let alone avoid the mass rape. "The government should admit that it was true that there had been riots in May. It is true that there has been rape of Chinese women," said Usman.

The incident resurfaced after the Minister of Culture Fadli Zon did not admit the rape of a Chinese woman during the May 1988 riots, which he stated at a Talk Show, Monday, June 8, 2025. In fact, during the reign of President Joko Widodo, 12 past gross human rights violations included the mass rape.

Therefore, Usman hopes that past dark events will be an important lesson for Indonesia's progress in the future. History is not about us having built Borobudur Temple, such glory is certainly important but we must also be honest that our past is dark as reflection, introspection, contemplation," he said.

Who Is Eddy Wijaya Really, Here's The Profile

The figure of Eddy Wijaya is a podcaster who was born on August 17, 1972. Through the @EdShareOn YouTube account, Eddy interviewed many national figures ranging from state officials, legal experts, political experts, national politicians, to Indonesian celebrities. The man with the characteristics of the right cheek dimple is also a nationalist who is a struggling activist for discriminated and social observers by helping the community through the Wijaya Peduli Bangsa foundation.

He is also active in sports by serving as Daily Chair of the Indonesian Horseed Sports Association (Pordasi) Pacu and has also served as Deputy Chairperson of the All-Indonesian Badminton Association (PBSI) East Jakarta. His ideas were formed because of his hard work to be independent from the age of 13 years until his success as he is now. For Eddy, the world of work is not as smooth as imagined, failure and rejection are commonplace. This is what makes him hold on to the tagline Success is only a matter of time.