Petition of Fifty (Indonesia)
Date: 1980
Region: Asia
Subject: Political/Economic/Social Opinion
Medium: Print Journalism
Artist: "Petition of Fifty"
Confronting Bodies: Suharto Government
Dates of Action: May 1980
Location: Indonesia
Description of Artwork: "... In May 1980, Suharto faced a...challenge when a group of 50 people, including two former prime ministers, several ex-cabinet ministers and a number of retired generals, submitted a document to parliament--the so called "Petition of Fifty"--criticizing Suharto's use of Pancasila (5 foundational principles) to suppress dissent. Even more threatening was a separate statement presented simultaneously to the legislature by retired Gen. Mohammad Jasin, one of the 50... "
The Incident: "... Jasin harshly attacked Suharto's "hypocrisy and corruption," asking how any anti-corruption drive could ever succeed if the president himself was dishonest. The general provided a detailed account purporting to show how Suharto had been given a 750 hectare cattle ranch south of Jakarta. The government tried to stop dissemination of Jasin's information, immediately telephoning newspaper editors with instructions to ignore the letter."
Results of Incident: "... But the underground news network had already swung into operation. Within a few hours of the authorities order not to report on the Jasin statement, the document was being photocopied and distributed on University campuses across Indonesia.. "
Source: A Fund for Free Expression Report, "Off Limits and Corruption", July 1991, pg. 34