Indonesian Literature vs New Order Orthodoxy. The Aftermath of 1965-1966

Abstract: Starting from Theodor Adorno´s assertion that art is negative knowledge of the real world, the book analyses Indonesian literature produced during the New Order which deal with the events of 1965-1966 and its consequences. A number of Indonesia´s best known authors have written on the subject. The central issue raised is the extent to which this literature has contributed to undermining and thereby negating the prevalent official view. The work opens with an analysis of the political coercion human beings were subjected to by the Indonesian state in the aftermath of the coup attempt 1965 as portrayed in its own literature. Subsequently it examines how the authors deal with the taboo laden subject of the killings 1965-1966 which claimed 1/2 million lives. Consideration of how the Communist Party was seen preceedes discussion of the underlying reasons for why the literary figures acted as they did. More specifically, it focuses on the influence of Javanese culture and the significance President Sukarno´s political concept of Nasakom had on the main actors´ behavior. Taken as a whole the literary works constitute a protest against the violence exercised by the Indonesian state. The authors further maintain that many of the victims were, in fact, innocent. They were not Communists. Some of them were members of organizations subsequently classified as communistic. Moreover, they had acted in a traditional manner by obeying authority. What the authors collectively accomplish is to cast serious doubt upon the assertion that the country is confronted by a communist threat. Thereby it contributes to undermining the grounds upon which New Order was built, e.g. the existence of a Communist threat.