Exclusive | Indonesia election: Concerns over Prabowo Subianto’s human rights record a ‘five-yearly issue’, says Sandiaga Uno
- A group of activists were kidnapped by a military special forces team led by former general Prabowo around the end of 1997
- Sandiaga Uno has defended his running mate, saying Prabowo has never been prosecuted over the scandal
A group of 23 students, activists and critics were kidnapped by soldiers from “Team Rose” – an infamous unit of Indonesia’s special forces led by Prabowo, then a three-star general – during the twilight years of former strongman Suharto’s 32-year rule in late 1997 and early 1998.
Suharto, the former father-in-law of Prabowo, was forced from office in May 1998 after months of student-led protests that plunged Indonesia into chaos – an event known as the country’s Reformasi [Reform] era.
Prabowo was dismissed from the military during that time, and the kidnapping cases have never been resolved – despite incumbent President Joko Widodo’s promises to address past human rights cases.
“We’ve already had five governments [since Reformasi]. They all had the chance to prosecute [Prabowo]. No one has done anything, including the current government,” Sandiaga told This Week in Asia after a campaign in the city of Bandar Lampung, south Sumatra.
“People believe that it’s a five-yearly issue. What matters is how we can listen to the people, be authentic, and fight for what they want the government to focus on – which is jobs and prices [of staple goods],” he said.