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Portraits from the struggle for democracy in Indonesia.

by Henri Ismail
henri.ismail [at] gmail.com

An economic crisis hit Southeast Asian countries including Indonesia, in 1997. A political crises developed in Indonesia as a result of the economic crisis. Pioneered by the students, the people’s movements then emerged and grew everywhere. They demanded price decreases, procurement of basic goods, and more over, an end to the Suharto presidency. The movements became bigger in early 1998. This situation was considered danger by the authorities. Through its military bodies, measures were taken to ‘secure’ and ‘control’ the situation, including abducting persons deemed as ‘provocateurs’. A number of pro-democracy activists suddenly disappeared in early 1998, as a result of the authorities extreme measures. After quite some time, some of them then surfaced and the rest remain missing. Later, the surfaced victims testified that they were kidnapped by the apparatus and were detained in a secret military camp or police station. In those detention centers, they were tortured while being interrogated.

This photo series shows the portraits of families of those who are still missing: Widji Thukul (Thukul), Bimo Petrus Anugrah (Bimo), Suyat, and Leonardus Gilang Nugroho (Gilang). The families feel an eternal misery because of loosing their loved ones. However, on the other side, they also have a hope to find whereabouts of their loved ones and achieve justice for them; and this hope is never die.

In the first picture are Mr and Mrs Fatah, parents of Leonardus Gilang Nugroho. Solo, Indonesia. 2007 Gilang was a street musician who was also active in the 98 movement. Last time he left home (May 1998), he asked permission from his mother and told her that he had gotten a job offer in other city. Since then, there was no news about him until his body finally found dead, few days after he disappeared. However, there has no adequate legal process been made to deliver justice over the case. Both of his parents work as tailors in Solo, Central Java.

The second picture is of (from left to right) : Suyadi (older brother of Suyat), Panikem (mother of Suyat) and Suyatno (older brother of Suyat). Solo, Indonesia. 2007 Suyat is one of the victims of the enforced disappearance. He was a student activist and was abducted in February 1998.

The third picture is of Dyah Sudjirah a.k.a Sipon, wife of Widji Thukul. Solo, Indonesia. 2007 Thukul was a well known progressive poet. His used his revolutionary poems to encourage people to fight. He married a woman named Dyah Sudjirah (as known as Sipon). Through this marriage they have one daughter and one son. After Thukul disappeared in 1998, Sipon raised her children alone. To earn money, she became a tailor. She lives in Solo, Central Java.

The last picture is of Utomo and Misiati, parents of Bimo Petrus Anugerah. Malang, Indonesia 2007 Bimo Petrus Anugerah (born 1973) was student activist and was abducted in Jakarta around february 1998. He is still missing until now.