When Tari was 16, a dictator became her neighbour. Then her parents were imprisoned
Tari Long’s memoir, My Neighbour, The Dictator, remembers a chaotic adolescence in the shadow of Indonesia’s 1965 military coup – and surviving her parents’ absence.
On the morning of October 1, 1965, 14-year-old Tari Lang awoke to the sight of army tanks parked on the roundabout outside her family home in one of Jakarta's most prestigious streets. The previous night, six generals had been killed in a coup attempt, led by Lieutenant Colonel Untung bin Syamsuri, which was swiftly suppressed by future President General Suharto.
This marked the beginning of a seismic shift in Indonesia. Tari's parents, Suwondo Budiardjo, a deputy minister, and Carmel Budiardjo, an economics researcher for the foreign minister, were politically left-leaning. Six months after Suharto became president in September 1968, Tari's parents were detained, making her the only British woman imprisoned by the Indonesian military.
Tari had to grow up quickly, as her parents' political activities led to their arrest. In this environment, Tari had to navigate changes in her social world and protect her family's secrets, all while trying to live a normal life.
Written by urgent.news from The Conversation AU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
