ULM Becomes a Space for Historical Dialectics: Proposal for Black Friday Tragedy to be Included in National History Book
Banjarmasin – Lambung Mangkurat University (ULM) hosted a public discussion on the preparation of the “Indonesian History Book 2025,” initiated by the Directorate General of Cultural and Tradition Protection and the Directorate of History and Museums, Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Indonesia. The event was held at the Lecture Theater, General Building, ULM Banjarmasin, on Monday (July 28, 2025), in collaboration with the History Education Study Program, Faculty of Teacher Training and Education, ULM.
The discussion, attended by academics, students, historians, and cultural activists from South Kalimantan, provided an open space for input on the national history narrative being developed. One issue raised during the forum was the proposal for the Black Friday political tragedy of May 23, 1997, in Banjarmasin to be included as part of national history.
The proposal was made by the Acting Secretary of the Banjarmasin Kesbangpol Agency, Zulfaisal Putra, who considered the dark events leading up to the 1997 elections too significant to ignore.
“That tragedy killed hundreds of people and has never been fully investigated. If the Sampit Incident can be included in national history, why not Black Friday?” he asserted.
Furthermore, Zulfaisal also suggested that the Banjar War be written more comprehensively in national history books, using an approach that involves local sources, not just based on literature reviews.
In response to these aspirations, the Director of History and Museums, Prof. Dr. Agus Mulyana, M.Hum., welcomed the participants’ enthusiasm and emphasized that his office is open to all input, as long as it is supported by evidence and has national relevance.
“If an event has a significant impact on the national process and is supported by credible sources, we will certainly consider it for publication,” he said.
Meanwhile, the General Editor of the 2025 Indonesian History Book, Prof. Dr. Susanto Zuhdi, M.Hum., explained that the writing process has reached 90 to 95 percent completion. He emphasized that history should not only record achievements but also capture the dark side of the nation’s journey.
“History must be written in its entirety, including painful events, so that it can become a collective learning experience,” he explained.
This discussion is one of the Ministry of Culture’s efforts to gather public input before finalizing the writing of the national history book. The event was attended by the book’s ten main authors, including Prof. Akin Duli, Wanny Rahardjo, Prof. Usep Abdul Matin, Zacky Khairul Umam, Prof. Purnawan Basundoro, and Prof. Erniwati. Three main editors were also present: Prof. Singgih Tri Sulistiyono, Prof. Jajat Burhanudin, and Prof. Susanto Zuhdi.
Through this event, Lambung Mangkurat University affirmed its role as an academic institution active in preserving historical memory and opening up critical discussion to develop a more inclusive and balanced historical narrative.
