Talangsari Riots 1989: Authoritarian Regime, Human Rights, and the Dynamics of Political Islam in Indonesia

Abstract

The 1989 Talangsari riots are one of the key events in the history of state violence against religious groups during the New Order era. The incident not only reflected the authoritarianism of the Soeharto regime, but also became a crucial point in the relationship between the state and political Islam in Indonesia. The background of this incident shows the state's suspicion of Islamic movements that are considered potentially threatening national stability, in the context of the security and anti-radicalism narratives built by the state. This paper aims to examine the Talangsari incident as a manifestation of conflict between the authoritarian state and Islamic political expression, as well as its implications for human rights discourse in Indonesia. This study uses a historical method with a qualitative approach, based on a literature study of media archives, human rights reports, article internet, and academic works related to political Islam and New Order power. The expected result of this research is the development of a critical historical understanding of the dynamics of the relationship between the state and Islamic groups in the context of authoritarian regimes, as well as the contribution of this understanding to history learning. The findings are expected to enrich pedagogical approaches in history education, especially in raising issues of human rights, religious tolerance, and identity politics contextually and reflectively in the classroom.