Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
A chilling work of true crime about the shocking midair murder of a human rights activist and a political crisis in the world's fourth most populous nation On a warm Indonesian night in September 2004, Munir Said Thalib said goodbye to his wife and a carload of friends at Soekarno-Hatta Airport in Jakarta. He was bound for a year in the Netherlands to pursue a master's degree in international law and human rights. But Munir never reached Amsterdam alive. Before his plane touched down, the thirty-eight-year-old--one of the leading human rights activists of his generation--was dead in his seat in the fourth row of the plane.
Munir's award-winning work investigating the killings and abductions that occurred under the former president Suharto had made him many enemies in high places. Undeterred, Munir's wife, Suci, and his close friend Usman Hamid launched their own investigation. They would soon uncover a conspiracy involving spies, a mysterious co-pilot, threats of black magic, and deadly poison.
Drawing on interviews with the key actors, firsthand courtroom observation, interrogation records, confidential State Department cables, and Indonesian intelligence documents, this book uncovers for the first time the dramatic murder plot and the titanic struggle to bring the perpetrators of Munir's death to justice. Just as Patrick Radden Keefe's Say Nothing did for Northern Ireland, this book tells the story of a crime that is also the story of a remarkable country coming to terms with a terrible legacy.
Synopsis
A chilling work of true crime about the midair murder of a human rights activist, set against a riveting political drama in the world's fourth-largest nation
On a warm Jakarta night in September 2004, Munir said goodbye to his wife and friends at the airport. He was bound for the Netherlands to pursue a master's degree in human rights. But Munir never reached Amsterdam alive. Before his plane touched down, the thirty-eight-year-old--one of the leading human rights activists of his generation--lay dead in the fourth row.
Munir's daring investigation of the killings and abductions that occurred over three decades of authoritarian rule by the former president, Suharto, had earned him powerful enemies. Undeterred, Munir's wife, Suciwati, and his close friend, Usman Hamid, launched their own investigation. They soon uncovered a conspiracy involving spies, a mysterious co-pilot, threats of violence and black magic, and deadly poison.
Drawing on interviews, courtroom observation, leaked documents, and police files, this book uncovers the dramatic murder plot and the titanic struggle to bring the perpetrators of Munir's death to justice. Just as Patrick Radden Keefe's Say Nothing did for Northern Ireland, We Have Tired of Violence tells the story of a shocking crime that serves as a window into a captivating land still struggling to shake off a terrible legacy.
Synopsis
Named a Best Book of the Year by The Economist A chilling work of true crime about the midair murder of a human rights activist, set against a riveting political drama in the world's fourth-largest nation
On a warm Jakarta night in September 2004, Munir said goodbye to his wife and friends at the airport. He was bound for the Netherlands to pursue a master's degree in human rights. But Munir never reached Amsterdam alive. Before his plane touched down, the thirty-eight-year-old--one of the leading human rights activists of his generation--lay dead in the fourth row.
Munir's daring investigation of the killings and abductions that occurred over three decades of authoritarian rule by the former president, Suharto, had earned him powerful enemies. Undeterred, Munir's wife, Suciwati, and his close friend, Usman Hamid, launched their own investigation. They soon uncovered a conspiracy involving spies, a mysterious co-pilot, threats of violence and black magic, and deadly poison.
Drawing on interviews, courtroom observation, leaked documents, and police files, this book uncovers the dramatic murder plot and the titanic struggle to bring the perpetrators of Munir's death to justice. Just as Patrick Radden Keefe's Say Nothing did for Northern Ireland, We Have Tired of Violence tells the story of a shocking crime that serves as a window into a captivating land still struggling to shake off a terrible legacy.