In Memory of Solahudin

Newsletter No.83 2026-02-10

Masaaki Okamoto (Area Studies, Political Science)

Solahudin, who served as a visiting fellow at the Center for Southeast Asian Studies (CSEAS) in 2023, passed away from a heart attack sometime in the evening of December 25, 2025. He was found in a room of an apartment in Jakarta that he had rented as a workspace. He was only 55 years old.

After beginning his career as a journalist for an Islamic magazine, Solahudin became a consultant at the Jakarta office of the International Crisis Group (ICG). He later served as a Co-Director and subsequently Executive Director of the Institute for Policy Analysis of Conflict (IPAC), ICG’s successor organization. For anyone seeking to understand Indonesia’s political and social dynamics, the freely available reports produced by ICG and IPAC are indispensable resources, frequently cited by Japanese scholars as well. It was Solahudin who authored a large number of these reports. His major work, The Origins of Terrorism in Indonesia, which analyzed Islamist terrorism in Indonesia, vividly demonstrates his extraordinary information-gathering skills and the breadth of his personal networks. Even today, it remains essential reading for researchers and policymakers alike studying Islam in Indonesia.

Beyond his outstanding scholarly contributions, Solahudin was a person of exceptional warmth and generosity. If one had a question, he would respond immediately via WhatsApp. If one wished to meet someone, he would readily make the introduction. He was also deeply supportive of collaboration with young Japanese researchers. He was intensely curious as well: while he was in Kyoto as a CSEAS fellow, I invited him to join me, my son, and friends, at the “Miidera Yōkai Naito” (Monster Night at Miidera Temple) event, held in August during the height of summer, and he accepted with enthusiasm. He was, in every sense, a joy to be around.

Solahudin was affiliated with our institute as a CSEAS Visiting Research Scholar from July 1 to December 31, 2023. In Jakarta, his demanding responsibilities at IPAC and elsewhere left him little time to write the long-planned sequel to The Origins of Terrorism in Indonesia. His primary motivation for applying for the fellowship position was to complete his manuscript in the calmer environment of Kyoto. During his stay, he worked on writing almost every day and was pleased to report that he had completed approximately 70 percent of the manuscript during his six-month stay. As his host professor, I was particularly happy that he also enjoyed life in Kyoto. In contrast to Jakarta’s car-dependent lifestyle, he adopted a walking-centered lifestyle, became noticeably healthier, and made remarkable progress in losing weight. His affection for the city was evident; the following year, he returned to Kyoto for nearly a month at his own expense.

I had heard that he was planning to visit Kyoto again this year, and I had been eagerly anticipating the completion of his sequel. I had even planned to take him to the hot springs during his next visit. I cannot express how deeply saddened I am that this will not happen. He had so much more research ahead of him, and fifty-five is far too young an age to be taken from us. I pass on my deepest condolences to his remaining wife and family members.