Women's Alliance Calls for Minister Fadli Zon to Retract 1998 Mass Rapes Dismissal

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian Women's Alliance has urged Minister of Culture Fadli Zon to apologize for his brisk dismissal of the legitimacy of the 1998 mass rape tragedy in Indonesia. The alliance slammed Fadli's remark as a denial of the grim truth that leaves longstanding trauma for the deceased victims of sexual violence and their families.

"We demand a public apology from Fadli Zon and reject any form of history rewrite that diminishes the history of sexual violence against women," said Tuba Fallopi, representing the Young Women Activist Forum (Famm) Indonesia, in a virtual press conference on Saturday, June 14, 2025.

As a survivor of sexual violence, Tuba believes Fadli Zon's remark was an insult against the victims' suffering. Tuba also laments Fadli Zon's demand for evidence of the mass rape despite it being acknowledged as a historical fact under the government of former President B.J. Habibie. This is also supported by the findings of researchers who delve into the 1998 tragedy.

According to Tuba, the sexual violence that broke out in 1998 was not a random or spontaneous incident but part of a pattern of violence that has been occurring since 1965, where women's bodies were used as a political means to consolidate power.

"And that is what Fadli Zon is doing with his statement," Tuba said, stressing that the fury expressed by the women's alliance today was not sudden. 

"Because the state is unwilling to resolve the problem and has never been present in the recovery of the victims."

Fadli Zon's controversial remark also invited condemnation from Perempuan Mahardhika, a member of the alliance.

According to the member of the organization, Nur Suci Amalia, Fadli Zon's statement highlights the direction taken by the Prabowo administration and its lack of interest in resolving human rights violations cases in Indonesia.

With a state official accusing the mass rape of being a mere rumor, Suci believes the government is attempting to maintain impunity "by deliberately eliminating and not acknowledging the mass rape of May 1998."

The alliance, consisting of several anti-violence activist associations against women, thus demands minister Fadli Zon retract his statement and acknowledge his wrongdoing.

Indonesian Minister of Culture Fadli Zon has once again drawn sharp criticism for his statement dismissing the 1998 mass rapes as mere rumors. Fadli made these comments during an interview with senior IDN Times journalist, Uni Zulfiani Lubis, concerning the rewriting of Indonesian history.

Tempo obtained permission from Uni Lubis to quote Fadli Zon's statement. Fadli initially explained that the purpose of rewriting history was to clarify what he perceived as rumors that had long been accepted as historical facts. The Gerindra Party politician then controversially cited the mass rape incident as an example of a "rumor" he intended to rectify.

"Mass rape, who says that? There's never been any proof of it. It's a story. If it's true, then show it, is it in any history books?" Fadli Zon said in an interview broadcast on IDN Time's YouTube channel on Wednesday, June 11, 2025.

The former Deputy Speaker of the Indonesian House of Representatives further mentioned that he had tested historians by claiming the incident had been acknowledged by a fact-finding team. "I myself have denied that, and they (history rewriters) cannot prove it," Fadli revealed.

Disclaimer: If you or someone you know is experiencing or has experienced or witnessed sexual assault, harassment, and/or gender-based violence, please contact the nearest authorities and organizations. If you’re in Indonesia, you can call Pulih Foundation at (021) 78842580, Komnas Perempuan at (021) 80605399, or the Ministry of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection’s SAPA Service 129 at 08111 129 129. For immediate dangers, call the police at Call Center 110.

Dede Leni Mardianti contributed to this article

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