A protester outside the building of the Culture Ministry demonstrating against the naming of former president Soeharto as a national hero. — Reuters
THIS year’s list of national hero honorees in Indonesia has sparked controversy. Alongside popular figures such as former president and pluralism icon Abdurrahman “Gus Dur” Wahid and slain labor activist Marsinah, the name Soeharto appeared, a figure many in the country believe is utterly unworthy of the title. During his 32 years in power, Soeharto committed what many regard as grave historical wrongs.
But beyond the immediate controversy, a deeper question arises: why does the state grant such titles at all? Do democratic nations like Indonesia really need heroes?
