May 20, 1999
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| May 20, 1999 | atimes.com | |
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| Southeast Asia Daily dose of violence for a country in transition By Christianto Innocentius JAKARTA - ''Militias Kill 25 in East Timor,'' ''DeathToll Rises in Aceh,'' ''Ethnic Clash Claims 43 in Indonesia,''''Religious Violence Compounds Indonesian Strife,'' ''Troops Fire onProtesters,'' ''President Urges Calm." Such headlines in national dailies reflect the continuinginstability and the violence rocking parts of the country a yearafter Indonesia was thrown into chaos. A year ago this week, a political storm triggered by student-ledcalls for reform as well as pressure from opposition leaders andother political groups forced Suharto to step down after 32 yearsin power. His downfall sparked a flood of political reform but it alsounleashed a wave of violence vented by angry mobs on ethnic ChineseIndonesians, whom they accused of enriching themselves at theexpense of the indigenous people. Riots, looting and burning of Chinese-owned stores and houses andeven physical assault and rape of ethnic Chinese women led to anexodus of Chinese Indonesians from the country. Over 1,000 people are believed to have died in the violence inJakarta and other parts during the bloody riots, according tomedia reports. More than 25,000 entrepreneurs were estimated to have fled thecountry, bringing with them at least $500 million as aresult of the trauma. Many of the big businessmen and traders, however, have sincereturned to Indonesia but are prepared to leave any time thesituation turns ugly again as the nation holds its firstdemocratic election in four decades on June 7. Fearing for their safety, many Chinese-Indonesians have in factbeen sending their families to Singapore or Hong Kong, ignoringappeals by President Bacharuddin Jusuf Habibie to remain inIndonesia and exercise their rights to vote. International airlines and travel agents have reported anincreased number of bookings for flights out of Indonesia thismonth. Also, several countries have cautioned their nationalsagainst visiting Indonesia because of possible unrest ahead of,during and after the parliamentary elections. A year after Suharto stepped down and political reforms wereinstituted, violence has become almost a daily occurrence aroundIndonesia. Security forces are still deployed in Maluku in Eastern Indonesiato prevent renewed fighting between Christians and Muslims. Scoreshave died since sectarian violence erupted in this province earlythis year. Meanwhile, security forces have been ordered to shoot civilianscarrying guns in the country's troubled Aceh, which has beenfighting for self-rule. The daily violence in East Timor is another major headache forJakarta. Indonesia and Portugal recently signed a framework forthe former Portuguese colony's future but the situation there hasturned from bad to worse because of armed clashes between pro-autonomy groups and their opponents. Though the economy - which, like the rest of Asia, underwent itsworst crisis in three decades - is showing some sign of improvementand Indonesians are one step toward testing their politicalmaturity in next month's election, uncertainty is stillpalpable. Even the chairman of the General Elections Commission, Rudini,acknowledged that the body has prepared ''strategies in case theelection fails,'' relecting some nervousness ahead of the polls. But as the nation frets, Suharto, who ruled Indonesia with aniron fist, continues to live in comfort in his Jakarta home,threatening a libel suit over recent allegations by a U.S. magazine thathe and his family amassed a $15 billion fortuneduring his years in power. The government has initiated an investigation into his allegedill-gotten wealth but given the close ties of Suharto and hisformer protegee, President Bacharuddin Jusuf Habibie, the publicdoes not expect anything to come out of the probe. His friends are still around to give him support. ''If he has any wrongdoing like wealth cronyism and so on likewhat the media widely publicize now, it is the excess of a man whowas in power too long,'' says Frits Kakiailatu, a doctor who wasonce part of the medical team looking after Suharto. ''But I believe everybody will act like him if in power toolong,'' he adds. Kakiailatu says the 77-year-old Suharto, like many men his age,had various health problems such as diabetes, high blood pressureand a heart ailment. ''He, however, is very disciplined in takingcare of his health." Friends of the former strongman say he spends most of his timereading newspapers and watching the news on television andcomplains that he is depicted as a pariah in most of the newscoverage. The retired general performs religious rituals at home, includingfasting. He often receives Muslim preachers from variousprovinces. He seldom leaves home except to play golf with hissons. (Inter Press Service) | |||||||||
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