the bloody history

I'm not a history major and the last time I studied history in school was when I was 15 years old, first year of senior high school. What I remember about history is the Hindu Kingdom, world civilization, artifacts, etc. Nothing's special. It was boring. From primary school to high school, it was just the same thing. But actually it was getting more interesting in senior high school, even though it was only 1 year. Maybe because in the 2nd sem, I was taught by Bu Eri, who showed us a lot of 'other perspectives' of history.

Last night,I was reading Adrian Vickers' Modern History of Indonesia, particularly the transition from Old Order to New Order. I was sad and I was disappointed that I didn't know so much of my own country bloody history. In senior high school, I found out more about the 30th September movement and realized that there was no evident that it was a coup done by Communist Party and 450,000 people died because of what Soeharto called "elimination of communism including the roots" (pemberantasan komunisme sampai ke akar-akarnya)

This semester,I have read some short stories and novels which tell the story of the innocent victims after 30th September movement. Rape, killings, unjust arrest. Hhhh.. and the most silly thing is the fact that Museum Lubang Buaya (Museum of Crocodile's Hole) depicted the story of 30th Sept Movement according to the government's version (read: Soeharto's version). From generation to generation, we were taught that version,eg the name of the movement used to be 30th September movement of Indonesian Communist Party (G30S/PKI), the generals were mutilated by GERWANI (the women's party of PKI),so on and so forth. NO EVIDENCE!!!

but I guess,the thing that makes me more sad and feels so stupid is to find out history about Timor Leste. My lecturer showed me this video:


My respond was...WHAT?? It was not in my history textbook (even in junior high school textbook when I think it's already appropriate to tell us that there was such tragedy). I didn't know. I thought the tragedy only happened pre- and post- Timor Leste's independence. I knew that time there was much conflict (and you know what...Wiranto, who was supposed to be the one in charge of the military in Timor Leste, still STEPPED UP as candidate of vice president in the last election!!)

The normal conversation with my mom, my mom said, "Yah..under Habibie, the other provinces will just be let independent." Habibie was the successor of Soeharto and Timor Leste was independent during his presidency.Okay...I knew that Timor Leste just "joined" Indonesia in 1974, but the fact was.. actually the dominant party in Timor Leste, Fretilin, which was already established during Portuguese colonialism, already prepared for independence, just like other political parties struggled for independence for a longgggggggggg time till we became independent in 1945.
and I DIDN'T KNOW about it!!! (is it the irony of being science student or 'just' an impact of swallowing so much new-order's-version-of-history-and-campaign?)

hhhh..

Indonesia was also a colonist..
I don't regret to be Indonesian, but it's time to wake up. I won't let me and my friends only tell our children the government's version of history.Knowing history is not only a social-science student's business.

Oh btw,the video in this post,was showed all over the world, EXCEPT Indonesia.