Marsinah — subject profile (site content)
TL;DR
Marsinah (10 April 1969 – c. 8 May 1993) was a factory worker and strike negotiator at PT Catur Putra Surya (CPS) in Sidoarjo; she was abducted, tortured, and murdered after a May 1993 wage strike. The case remains officially unsolved. Posthumously named Pahlawan Nasional (10 November 2025) — first labor activist and first national hero born after Independence. Family spokesperson: sister Marsini.
Identity
| Field | Detail |
|-------|--------|
| Born | 10 April 1969, Nglundo, Sukomoro, Nganjuk, East Java |
| Died | c. 8 May 1993 (body found 8 May; last seen 5 May), Wilangan, Nganjuk |
| Age at death | 24 |
| Parents | Mastin (father); Sumini (mother, died ~age 3) |
| Raised by | Grandmother Pu'irah; aunt Sini |
| Siblings | Second of three daughters; Marsini (elder sister, public spokesperson) |
| Work | CPS watch/clock components (Porong, Sidoarjo); informal workers' negotiator |
Education
- SDN 189 Karangasem → SMPN 5 Nganjuk (1982) → SMA Muhammadiyah (uncle helped fund)
- Hoped to study law; could not afford university
1993 strike and murder (factual summary)
- Late 1992: East Java UMR increase; CPS did not fully implement from 1 Jan 1993.
- 3–4 May 1993: ~500 workers struck (legal minimum wage, benefits, freedom from state union SPSI). Marsinah led negotiation.
- 5 May 1993: Kodim 0816/Sidoarjo summoned 13 workers; Marsinah went to Kodim that evening — not seen alive again.
- 8 May 1993: Body found near Dusun Jegong, Wilangan, Nganjuk (~200 km from factory).
- Investigation: Military-led inquiry; nine CPS staff charged; Supreme Court acquitted all 3 May 1995; DNA evidence issues 1997; case unsolved. Komnas HAM, LBH, KontraS, KSPSI press to reopen as gross human-rights violation.
Recognition (selected)
| Year | Event |
|------|--------|
| 1993 | Yap Thiam Hien Human Rights Award (posthumous) |
| 1994+ | ILO Committee on Freedom of Association Case No. 1773 |
| 10 Nov 2025 | Pahlawan Nasional — President Prabowo, Hari Pahlawan |
| 16 May 2026 | Museum Ibu Marsinah dan Rumah Singgah inaugurated (Nglundo) — see [[Projects/lumendev-museum-ibu-marsinah/context/museum-visit-facts|museum facts]] |
Timeline (for /linimasa or history page)
- 10 Apr 1969 — born Nglundo
- 1989 — Surabaya (plastic, Bata, packaging factories)
- 1990 — PT CPS, Sidoarjo
- 3–4 May 1993 — strike
- 5 May 1993 — Kodim summons; Marsinah disappears
- 8 May 1993 — body found Wilangan
- 3 May 1995 — Supreme Court acquittal
- 10 Nov 2025 — National Hero
- 16 May 2026 — museum inaugurated
Editorial caveats (publish carefully)
- Murder unsolved; military role is supported by Komnas HAM / LBH findings, not a binding court verdict — use careful wording (dipercaya luas, findings, not proven conviction).
- Describe violence plainly; do not sensationalize graphic detail (museum framing focuses on her life).
- Represent both family thanks for hero designation and ongoing demand for justice (Marsini).
- Foreground worker organizing (KSPSI co-management frame), not tragedy alone.
Cultural references (deeper copy later)
Theatre (Ratna Sarumpaet), Sapardi Djoko Damono (Dongeng Marsinah), film Marsinah (Cry Justice) (2001), union iconography (raised left fist, uniform, watch motif). Full list: [[Projects/lumendev-museum-ibu-marsinah/context/marsinah_museum_research#4-cultural-impact|research §4]].
Open verification (before authoritative publish)
- Muhammadiyah affiliation (weak source)
- Image rights for iconic B&W portrait — confirm with family / KSPSI
- Criminal investigation status post–hero designation
Related
- [[Projects/lumendev-museum-ibu-marsinah/context/museum-visit-facts|Museum visit facts]]
- [[Projects/lumendev-museum-ibu-marsinah/context/content-ia-editorial|Content IA & design]]
- [[Projects/lumendev-museum-ibu-marsinah/context/marsinah_museum_research|Full research + sources]]
Sources
Compiled 19 May 2026. Full bibliography: [[Projects/lumendev-museum-ibu-marsinah/context/marsinah_museum_research#7-sources|research §7]] (Wikipedia, Jakarta Post, ANTARA, YLBHI, ILO, etc.).