Thread by @redstreamnet

Massacres, invasions, and anti-communism. This is Prabowo Subianto, Indonesia's next President, involved in numerous atrocities from his days as a henchman of General Suharto.🧵

Right-wing extremist Prabowo Subianto has claimed victory Indonesia’s presidential elections. A former military general who helped lead the genocidal invasion of East Timor, he was also the son-in-law of the dictator Suharto, who carried out the anti-communist genocide of 1965.

Just before Subianto entered Suharto’s military, the 1965 genocide that aimed to wipe out Communism by murdering anyone associated with the party was in full swing. Some estimates put the number of people killed as high as 3 million.

Rape and torture were used systematically by Suharto’s forces. Countless testimonies like this one relay the horror of those years.

The CIA’s involvement is well documented. Less well known is the role of West Germany, which played just as crucial of a role in cooperating with Suharto’s genocide. To contain the spread of communism, West Germany sent substantial financial and military aid, providing it with all the intelligence support needed.

Following Suharto’s genocide against Communists, the regime launched the invasion and occupation of East Timor from 1975-1999. Subianto was head of the special forces unit running the occupation. Around 200,000 were killed by Indonesian forces, nearly a quarter of East Timor’s population.

During this period, Subianto became part of Suharto’s family after marrying his daughter, Titiek Suharto in 1983. Though they separated after her father’s regime collapsed, and Subianto escaped to Jordan to avoid being charged with human rights abuses.

How has Prabowo Subianto managed to get ahead despite his record of abuses? Polls show that his support comes mostly from young people who didn't experience the genocide. He’s also rebranded himself as a self-declared “cuddly grandpa” with Tiktok dances and election promises to build new homes and hospitals.