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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
World
Michael Neilson

‘Historical amnesia’: Indonesia’s fight over plan to amend history books

A pirate flag from the Japanese anime One Piece seen at a house in Solo, Central Java, Indonesia. The flag movement coincides with concerns over plans to release a set of new official history books.
A pirate flag from the Japanese anime One Piece seen at a house in Solo, Central Java, Indonesia. The flag movement coincides with concerns over plans to release a set of new official history books.
Photograph: DIKA/AFP/Getty Images

Indonesia has delayed plans to publish a set of controversial history books amid backlash from historians and activists who have accused the project of being an attempt to downplay past atrocities, and represents “historical amnesia”.

In May Indonesia’s culture minister Fadli Zon announced the planned release of a 10-volume “official history” project. The set of new books would remove colonial bias, feature updated research, promote national pride and have a “positive” tone, he said.

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