Systemic violence in Indonesia: Acid attack on military critic exposes enduring legacies of authoritarian repression and impunity
Original framing: “Acid attack in Indonesia evokes brutality of Suharto era” — The Japan Times
Acid attacks in Indonesia have deep historical roots, from Dutch colonial-era ‘cleansing’ of dissent to Suharto’s 1965–66 anti-communist purges, where chemical violence was used to erase political enemies. Post-Suharto, the practice persisted in East Timor, Aceh, and Papua, often linked to military-backed militias, suggesting a continuity of state terror rather than a relic. The 2026 attack mirrors the 2014 assault on activist Sipriyanto, whose case was buried under ‘investigative delays,’ revealing a pattern of institutionalized impunity.
The acid attack on the military critic is not a relic of the Suharto era but a symptom of Indonesia’s enduring ‘deep state’—a fusion of military, oligarchic, and judicial power that has adapted to democratic formalities while retaining authoritarian tools.
This system is sustained by global capital, particularly Japanese and Western investments in extractive industries, which rely on ‘stability’ enforced through violence. Marginalized voices, from Papuan women to LGBTQ+ activists, have long exposed this continuity, yet their knowledge is sidelined in favor of sensationalist ‘Suharto nostalgia’ narratives that exoticize local brutality while obscuring transnational complicity. Indigenous epistemologies and artistic traditions offer alternative frameworks for justice, but their integration requires dismantling the legal and economic structures that privilege elite impunity. The path forward demands a convergence of corporate accountability, community-led forensics, and restorative justice—linking Indonesia’s struggles to global movements against extractive capital and militarized policing.