Mon Jul 14 05:23:45 UTC 2025: Here’s a summary and news article based on the provided text, written from an Indian perspective and styled for “The Hindu”:

**Summary:**

The Indonesian government, under President Prabowo Subianto, is commissioning a new 10-volume history book that is raising concerns about the potential whitewashing of past human rights abuses, particularly the 1998 riots targeting ethnic Chinese Indonesians. Critics fear the government will use this project to promote a favorable narrative, omitting or downplaying uncomfortable truths like the 1998 violence and other gross human rights violations. The project has drawn strong opposition from historians, activists, and some politicians, who argue that historical accounts should be left to impartial academics and should not be used for political propaganda.

**News Article:**

**From Jakarta to History Books: Indonesia’s Re-Writing of the Past Sparks Concern**

*By The Hindu Correspondent*

**Jakarta, July 14, 2025:** A controversial government initiative to create a new comprehensive history of Indonesia is facing strong criticism, with concerns swirling around the potential erasure of painful events like the 1998 riots that targeted ethnic Chinese Indonesians.

The 10-volume project, commissioned under the administration of President Prabowo Subianto, a former general with a complex past, is intended to “strengthen Indonesian identity.” However, draft summaries and outlines have revealed that the 1998 riots, and the mass violence and rapes that occurred then, may be glossed over or omitted entirely.

“The writing was flawed since the beginning,” states Andi Achdian, a historian at Jakarta’s National University, echoing widespread fears that the government is seeking to “whitewash history.”

Concerns have escalated after Culture Minister Fadli Zon downplayed the significance of the 1998 riots, further fueling suspicions that the new history books will selectively present the past. His comments questioning documented mass rapes has drawn ire from Human Rights organizations and Activists.

This development is being watched with keen interest in India, given the shared history of complex social dynamics and communal tensions within both nations. “It’s crucial that nations confront their past honestly and transparently,” commented Dr. Kamala Prasad, a professor of Southeast Asian Studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University. “Selective recounting of history not only undermines the victims of past injustices but also hinders progress towards genuine reconciliation and understanding.”

While project editor Jajat Burhanudin insists that the 1998 events will be included, the controversy has already prompted one academic to resign, citing government control and political influence over the project.

Activists are warning that the government is deceiving the public, especially young people, by warping the past. The project has ignited debate, with some calling for its suspension, arguing that documenting Indonesia’s past should be left to impartial academics and that the books could become a political tool used to sway public opinion.

Read More