Today is the best day to reflect back on heroism. Why is someone given the title of hero? When and what makes a person a hero or a villain?
By
Bivitri Susanti
·4 minutes read
SALOMO TOBING
Bivitri Susanti
A hero, according to the Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia (Big Indonesian Dictionary), is a person who stands out for his courage and sacrifice in defending the truth -- a brave warrior. In reality, a hero is often determined by those in power. A person can be considered a hero at one time by one group or considered a villain by another. Likewise, many heroes -- people who defend the truth -- can appear in spaces whose breadth is determined by the rulers.
Administratively, the rank of hero is pinned by the government, similar to a title. It is like giving "service stars". It often happens that those who are given the title of hero or given a service star by the state are in the elite circle, namely those whose names can enter historical records, because state verification requires documents and recognition of authorities. A person can become a hero because of his position as a war commander, policy-maker and of course, official. Service stars are even given automatically to heads of state institutions under certain conditions.
In fact, heroes are actually not created by the government. The government simply pins the title of hero in a formal way. However, heroes are born from a situation that needs improvement. So, they can be born at any time and from any circle.
Heroes are people who spread the idea of independence at a time when talking about independence is prohibited. When resistance ideas are banned from printing, they instead publish underground newspapers. When the indigenous people are too poor to go to the doctor, those with medical education treat and heal for free. The connecting line: they fight to defend fellow humans, in order to practice their civic role in a civic space.
Human rights
Unfortunately, this civic space is now narrowing. Residents who defend customary lands belonging to their ancestors or activists who discuss conflicts of interest with officials that harm residents are even pressured or processed in the name of an unfair law. Even journalists who are defending the truth by voicing injustice are also threatened and pressured.
These days the state is narrowing, even closing, this space in at least three ways: the use of physical violence, the use of pressure through digital media and the use of legal pressure (judicial harassment).
Data from Amnesty International Indonesia, which was released in October 2022, show that from January 1999 to May 2022, 332 people were charged with defamation in the Law on Electronic Information and Transactions. The same report noted 834 victims of physical and digital violence. There were 90 cases of digital attacks in the form of hacking and doxing (dissemination of personal data) with 148 victims.
The problem is, when cases like this are discussed, the government always gives up on the pretext that it is not the state apparatus that is at fault. In fact, these cases should be seriously managed, not only to prove that it is not the state apparatus’ actions, but more than that: the obligation of the state to protect the human rights of its citizens has arisen. This is because the cases above are essentially violations of human rights, namely the right to freedom of opinion.
We understand that silencing of opinions regresses democracy because democracy needs criticism and a balance of power. However, today, we should reflect on it in the context of Heroes' Day, a day when defenders of truth and justice are remembered with gratitude. Heroes can be known as heroes, but also villains, depending on who is in power. It could be that people who are now called by the police and treated as criminals are actually heroes because they are fighting for justice. A country that closes its civic space to defend justice will only celebrate past heroes from the elite, not creating space for new heroes for a better Indonesia.
Happy Heroes’ Day!
BIVITRI SUSANTI, Lecturer at the Indonesia Jentera School of Law
