Tari Lang's 'My Neighbour, The Dictator' looks back at Suharto era

BooksMemoir recounts repression and upheaval in Indonesia through a teenager's eyesSix decades after the events described in her memoir, Tari Lang says she hopes it will help a new generation recognize how easily authoritarianism can take hold. (Source photos by Getty Images, Monsoon Books)REBECCA L. ROOTJuly 18, 2026 08:12 JSTMany Indonesians still approach free speech with caution, as broadly worded laws can be used to stifle criticism of the government. The legacy of what is widely regarded as a three-decade dictatorship has left many Indonesians wary of speaking out. One writer's new novel pushes back against that legacy.