Culture Minister Questions Veracity of 1998 Mass Rape Allegations

KBRN, Jakarta: Minister of Culture Fadli Zon has publicly questioned the accuracy of accounts alleging systematic mass rapes during the 1998 riots in Indonesia, raising concerns about whether the atrocities were structured, systematic, and massive (TSM) in nature.

"I believe acts of sexual violence did occur, as I have previously stated. But whether they were systematic and widespread, such as those committed by Japanese troops in China or Serbian forces in Bosnia, needs further examination," the Minister said in a written statement on Thursday, 26 June 2025.

He argued that legal and academic evidence must substantiate claims surrounding victims of sexual violence, and also alluded to what he described as attempts by foreign actors to ‘frame’ the incident as a case of mass rape.

"We have no intention of tarnishing Indonesia’s image. But there must be legal and scholarly facts, who the victims were, where it happened, and how it happened," he emphasized.

Minister Fadli’s recent remarks have stirred significant public controversy, particularly his repeated questioning of the 1998 mass rape reports. In response, Commission X of the House of Representatives (DPR) is expected to summon the Minister to provide further clarification.

"I’ve heard that the relevant commission will ask the minister to give a formal explanation in the DPR. That’s a good move to clarify the matters that have sparked public debate," said the House Deputy Speaker Sufmi Dasco Ahmad at the parliamentary complex in Senayan, Jakarta, on Tuesday, 24 June 2025.

Dasco also addressed broader concerns about historical revisionism currently underway in government-sponsored narratives. He urged the public to await a formal explanation from the government, which Commission X will investigate in further detail. ***

Translator: Diffa Sephiawardhani

Editor: Sri Wahyuni