Indonesia says former dictator Suharto is now a national hero

Indonesia has a new national hero: its former dictator, the late President Suharto

Indonesia has a new national hero: its former dictator, the late President Suharto.

The official award Monday drew outrage from rights activists who accuse the country’s current leader, President Prabowo Subianto, of whitewashing his former father-in-law’s legacy.

Suharto, a staunch anti-communist who was a close U.S. ally during the Cold War, ruled for 32 years before he was ousted by deadly mass protests in 1998 amid the Asian financial crisis. His rule was marked by rapid economic growth and political stability as well as accusations of human rights violations, corruption and nepotism.

Suharto was among 10 people who received the national hero title at the presidential palace in Jakarta. The annual award is given to those who have contributed significantly to the development of Indonesia, a Southeast Asian archipelago and former Dutch colony that declared independence in 1945.

Relatives observe a moment of silence during a ceremony held to mark the National Heroes Day at the State Palace in Jakarta on Monday.Bay Ismoyo / AFP - Getty Images“A prominent figure from Central Java province, a hero of the struggle for independence, General Suharto stood out since the independence era,” an announcer said as Prabowo gave the award to Suharto’s daughter and son.