Marsinah was Declared a Hero, but the Violence by the Authorities Never Ended

More than three decades after her death, Marsinah has been designated as a National Hero. Ironically, the violence and human rights violations that once claimed the life of the watch factory worker continue to recur. Several figures who were also awarded the title of hero, alongside Marsinah, remain closely associated with allegations of human rights violations.

She was merely a watch factory worker fighting for a decent wage, the most fundamental right of a worker. Before she was found dead, Marsinah advocated for her colleagues at PT Catur Surya Putra to receive a wage increase from Rp 1,700 to Rp 2,250 per day.

Her case has become a symbol of violence against the marginalized during the New Order era. The trial was held, but all defendants were acquitted. Justice seemed to never arrive. However, the name Marsinah continues to live on in banners, murals, and songs sung by workers as they fight for their rights.

Now, 32 years later, Marsinah has been designated as one of the 10 figures to receive the title of National Hero. The award for her was presented alongside two figures who are part of the nation's historical past, namely the second President of the Republic of Indonesia, Soeharto, and the Commander of the Army Special Forces Command, now known as Kopassus, Sarwo Edhie Wibowo.

Many circles are highlighting the conferral of the title of national hero to Soeharto. The Director of the GUSDURian Network, Alissa Wahid, is one of those who believes that the awarding of the national hero title to Soeharto, who ruled authoritatively for 32 years, is questionable. Although it is acknowledged that Soeharto played a role in development and economic stability, Alissa emphasizes that the collective memory of the nation reflects the dark record of the New Order regime.

"During his rule, Soeharto was involved in various actions that undermined the values of heroism. The New Order regime that he controlled for more than three decades committed numerous grave sins against democracy, ranging from human rights violations, corruption practices, political repression, to civil and political freedoms," he said on Monday (10/11/2025).

Awarding Suharto a hero's title is a betrayal of democracy and the reform movement.

Therefore, according to Alissa, Soeharto does not meet the criteria of moral integrity and exemplary conduct to be considered a national hero as stipulated in Article 25 of Law Number 20 of 2009 concerning Titles, Decorations, and Honors.

He believes that awarding hero status to Soeharto is a betrayal of democracy and the reform movement that overthrew the authoritarian and corrupt regime.

Meanwhile, Amnesty International Indonesia, through its press release, stated that designating Soeharto and Sarwo Edhie Wibowo as heroes means negating the suffering of the victims and the families of victims of serious human rights violations. This simultaneously normalizes the impunity that has long been entrenched in this country.

For more than three decades, the Soeharto regime was responsible for various crimes against humanity and serious human rights violations, including the mass killings of 1965–1966; the mysterious shootings (Petrus) from 1982 to 1985; the Tanjung Priok tragedy in 1984 and Talangsari in 1989; systematic violence in Aceh, East Timor, and Papua; the enforced disappearances of pro-democracy activists from 1997 to 1998, among others.

Millions of victims and their families have yet to receive justice or rehabilitation. The state has acknowledged various incidents as serious human rights violations, both through the MPR Decree at the beginning of the reform era and the official statement of President Joko Widodo in January 2023. However, to date, not a single key perpetrator, including Soeharto, has been held accountable.

For some, the recognition of Marsinah is a form of symbolic justice. As expressed by the Chairperson of the National Commission on Human Rights, Anis Hidayah, the designation of Marsinah as a National Hero is an important symbol for the struggle of workers and the courage of women in demanding their rights. This award serves as a recognition of the bravery of a worker who was a victim of state violence in the past.

However, behind that acknowledgment, Anis continued, the state still has a significant responsibility that remains unresolved. That unresolved responsibility is to seek the truth and uphold justice for Marsinah.

"The award as a hero is not enough. The state still has a moral and legal responsibility to resolve the case of Marsinah," said Anis when contacted from Jakarta, Tuesday (11/11/2025).

As of now, the murder case of Marsinah has never been fully resolved. The defendants were acquitted, and the legal process came to a halt midway.

Anis believes that this reflects the weak commitment of the state in addressing human rights violations. Legal reasons such as expiration should not be used as an excuse to allow injustice to occur. This condition indirectly demonstrates the state's inability to resolve the Marsinah case while also indicating that the legal system often favors the perpetrators rather than the victims.

On the other hand, Anis also highlighted that patterns of state violence, such as those experienced by Marsinah, continue to recur to this day. According to data from the National Commission on Human Rights, the National Police consistently ranks as the institution most frequently reported by the public in cases of alleged human rights violations.

Anis also highlighted that patterns of state violence such as that which befell Marsinah continue to recur today.

According to Anis, this situation indicates that reforms in law enforcement institutions have not been fully implemented. Human rights principles have not been truly internalized in the policies and actions of the authorities. As a result, the same patterns of violence continue to recur over time, merely changing in form and context.

"The pattern of state violence seems very difficult to reform, as the institutions themselves have not fully implemented human rights principles in law enforcement and human rights," he stated.

The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) recorded a total of 2,305 complaints of human rights violations throughout 2024. Of this number, the National Police (Polri) was the institution most frequently reported, with 663 complaints. The rights most commonly violated include the right to welfare (813 complaints), the right to obtain justice (758 complaints), and the right to security (212 complaints). The dominant types of violations include unprofessionalism or procedural errors (1,201 cases) and violence or torture (167 cases).

Over the past five years (2020–2024), a similar pattern has continued to recur. The Human Rights Data Portal of Komnas HAM indicates that security forces have consistently been the most frequently reported institution in cases of human rights violations. In the context of national strategic project development (PSN) alone, Komnas HAM received at least 114 complaints throughout 2020–2023, many of which were related to land conflicts and repressive actions by authorities on the ground.

Violence often arises during demonstrations. In the wave of national actions from August 25 to 31, 2025, the National Commission on Human Rights recorded 10 fatalities and hundreds of others injured due to repressive actions by authorities in various regions. In Bandung, for instance, 429 participants required hospitalization, with 46 of them still receiving treatment several days after the incident.

This situation indicates that justice for victims of state violence is still far from expectations. In this context, public criticism has emerged regarding the martyrdom process of Marsinah. This trend shows that human rights violations are not merely remnants of the past, but rather a pattern that continues to be inherited in law enforcement practices.

The Executive Director of Amnesty International Indonesia, Usman Hamid, also expressed that the award of heroism for Marsinah feels ironic because the state tends to still use violent methods to confront communities demanding their rights.

"When the state gives the recognition that is rightfully due to Marsinah, the state has still failed to stop the violence against human rights defenders and citizens who voice their criticism in defense of their basic rights," he stated.

Usman is pessimistic that the conferment of the National Hero title to Marsinah will have a significant impact. This is because policies aimed at improving the welfare of workers and protecting human rights defenders are still difficult to realize. Moreover, the government often views workers' demands as obstacles to foreign investment.

These patterns are evident in national strategic projects such as the Merauke Integrated Food and Energy Estate in Papua, which has triggered land conflicts and human rights violations against indigenous communities. "Demonstrations are still regarded as a threat and are met with repression, particularly due to the significant investments from China that demand political stability and security," said Usman.

These awards feel artificial, highly symbolic, and not reflected in real policy.

The Executive Director of Migrant CARE, Wahyu Susilo, also considers the process of awarding the title of hero to Marsinah to be fraught with irony. According to him, this step arises amidst the state's efforts to build a populist and pro-labor image without accompanying real policy changes. "This award feels artificial, very symbolic, and is not reflected in actual policies," he stated.

According to him, the spirit of Marsinah is not only a symbol of labor struggle but also an important marker of social movements in Indonesia. Marsinah represents the intersection of labor issues, women's rights, and militarism, three aspects that continue to intertwine in the practice of power.

Wahyu highlighted that the involvement of authorities in labor cases still frequently occurs. Meanwhile, violence and discrimination against women in the workplace have not ceased. On the other hand, some labor unions tend to align themselves with the circles of power rather than advocating for the ideals once championed by Marsinah.

"The heroism of Marsinah should serve as a reminder for the labor movement. That true struggle is about fighting for workers' rights, not using Marsinah as a stepping stone to power," said Wahyu.