Enduring An Emerging Dictatorship

Tari Lang seemed to live in parallel universes. She was born to an English mother and an Indonesian father. Both of her parents enjoyed higher education, and they met in Prague, when the city was a magnet for leftist intellectuals pursuing their studies. Tari spent her childhood in the elite Menteng district, on Teuku Umar Street, in the heart of Jakarta. At least two Indonesian presidents once lived in that area. Besides Megawati Sukarnoputri, on the same street, Soeharto – the “dictator” in the title of this book – lived on Cendana Street, not far away.

More than intellectuals, Tari’s parents were also active in politics and were even involved in President Sukarno’s administration, her father having served as a deputy minister. They often hosted guests at their home, which accustomed Tari to political discussions. This made her realize that her parents were people who cared about the oppression of ordinary people. At the same time, a question lingered in her mind: how could conversations like those have taken place in an elite Menteng neighbourhood, amid dinner gatherings served by household staff and all the accompanying privileges?