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Infrastruktur Impunitas: Kekerasan Orde Baru di Indonesia
Infrastruktur Impunitas karya Elizabeth Drexler adalah hasil riset antropologis yang menyingkap bagaimana impunitas atas genosida 1965–66 dan kekerasan negara berikutnya tidak sekadar berlangsung karena absennya keadilan, tetapi ditopang oleh sebuah jaringan kompleks—sebuah infrastruktur—yang meresap hingga ke hukum, birokrasi, budaya, narasi sejarah, bahkan kehidupan sehari-hari.
Drexler menunjukkan bahwa meskipun Indonesia telah mengalami reformasi politik sejak 1998, warisan kekerasan Orde Baru tetap hidup melalui propaganda, praktik birokratis, dan narasi sejarah resmi yang kuat secara afektif. Infrastruktur ini tidak hanya melindungi pelaku dan institusi, tetapi juga terus mencemarkan korban lintas generasi.
Buku ini menelusuri bagaimana pengungkapan kebenaran, kesaksian penyintas, serta upaya keadilan transisional—mulai dari investigasi resmi, pengadilan HAM, hingga advokasi publik—sering kali gagal menggoyahkan impunitas. Sebaliknya, dokumen, film, dan praktik advokasi justru berhadapan dengan narasi negara yang lebih kokoh dan berumur panjang.
Melalui studi kasus tentang genosida 1965, penembakan misterius 1980-an, tragedi Mei 1998, pembunuhan Munir, hingga Aksi Kamisan, Drexler memperlihatkan “benang merah” yang menyatukan kekerasan, propaganda, hukum, dan birokrasi dalam mempertahankan impunitas. Dengan gaya analisis tajam, buku ini menghadirkan konsep infrastruktur impunitas sebagai kunci memahami bagaimana kekuasaan otoriter dapat bertahan bahkan di era demokrasi.
Drexler menunjukkan bahwa meskipun Indonesia telah mengalami reformasi politik sejak 1998, warisan kekerasan Orde Baru tetap hidup melalui propaganda, praktik birokratis, dan narasi sejarah resmi yang kuat secara afektif. Infrastruktur ini tidak hanya melindungi pelaku dan institusi, tetapi juga terus mencemarkan korban lintas generasi.
Buku ini menelusuri bagaimana pengungkapan kebenaran, kesaksian penyintas, serta upaya keadilan transisional—mulai dari investigasi resmi, pengadilan HAM, hingga advokasi publik—sering kali gagal menggoyahkan impunitas. Sebaliknya, dokumen, film, dan praktik advokasi justru berhadapan dengan narasi negara yang lebih kokoh dan berumur panjang.
Melalui studi kasus tentang genosida 1965, penembakan misterius 1980-an, tragedi Mei 1998, pembunuhan Munir, hingga Aksi Kamisan, Drexler memperlihatkan “benang merah” yang menyatukan kekerasan, propaganda, hukum, dan birokrasi dalam mempertahankan impunitas. Dengan gaya analisis tajam, buku ini menghadirkan konsep infrastruktur impunitas sebagai kunci memahami bagaimana kekuasaan otoriter dapat bertahan bahkan di era demokrasi.
343 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review
April 10, 2026
I believe this is a sharp and necessary read for understanding Indonesia today.
We agree that impunity was one of the root cause of current evil and never dismantled after Reformasi. It adapted, stayed embedded, and morphing itself more openly, not affecting structurally but culturally around our lives. The return of military influence in civilian spaces and continued attacks on activists, including the newest acid attack on our dear friend in KontraS, show how the impunity infrastructure is there and strengthened through bureaucracy.
This book for me is for confirmation and depth, we have discussed and feel it when working, but we never be able to articulate this sharply. While the case studies mostly in Jakarta, we have seen the similar struggles in 65 mass atrocities and in arm conflict setting: Aceh, Timor-Leste, Papua.
The book also makes clear that this struggle is not only about law or institutions, such as fighting at the court to pursue justice. It is about narrative and fighting over truth. Schools, museums, and public discourse are key sites where truth can be defended or erased. That is where propaganda takes hold if left uncontested.
For those of us working on these issues, this book helps articulate what we are trying to do, to unlearn the impunity.
We agree that impunity was one of the root cause of current evil and never dismantled after Reformasi. It adapted, stayed embedded, and morphing itself more openly, not affecting structurally but culturally around our lives. The return of military influence in civilian spaces and continued attacks on activists, including the newest acid attack on our dear friend in KontraS, show how the impunity infrastructure is there and strengthened through bureaucracy.
This book for me is for confirmation and depth, we have discussed and feel it when working, but we never be able to articulate this sharply. While the case studies mostly in Jakarta, we have seen the similar struggles in 65 mass atrocities and in arm conflict setting: Aceh, Timor-Leste, Papua.
The book also makes clear that this struggle is not only about law or institutions, such as fighting at the court to pursue justice. It is about narrative and fighting over truth. Schools, museums, and public discourse are key sites where truth can be defended or erased. That is where propaganda takes hold if left uncontested.
For those of us working on these issues, this book helps articulate what we are trying to do, to unlearn the impunity.
Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review