By Ananda Teresia

JAKARTA (Reuters) -About 100 activists gathered on Thursday in Indonesia’s capital Jakarta to demand that the government cancel a plan to grant late authoritarian leader Suharto the status of national hero, reflecting wider concerns about historical revisionism.

The country’s social ministry and culture ministry have proposed Suharto along with 48 other candidates to President Prabowo Subianto to receive the title. The honour is bestowed every year on November 10 to those considered to have made a significant contribution to the country.

Indonesia faced decades of repressive rule under Suharto’s military-backed “New Order”. He held power for 32 years before being forced to step down during an economic crisis, mass protests and deadly riots in Jakarta in 1998.

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