Soeharto Dead

Former Indonesian President Soeharto (Suharto) has died from multiple organ failure aged 86. His family will miss him.

Not missisng him, but still wanting an enquiry, are those affected by his alleged:

• human rights abuses in Indonesia, East Timor and (now) West Papua.
• corruption, perhaps amounting to US$35 Billion.

His eldest daughter, Siti Hardiyanti Rukmana, dressed in black, and from behind a veil, sobbed, and said ""We apologise if he has made mistakes". Perhaps the family could return all of the money allegedly embezzled from the state, plus interest. Perhaps they could make reparations for the human rights abuses. They WILL keep the money and the lifestyle granted them under the umbrella of corruption.

While his "strength" as President kept Indonesia together, and that was in Australia's interests, history will likely judge him as a corrupt, abusive dictator. Former Australian Foreign Minister, Alexander Downer, described him as having a "less than desirable human rights record" - diplomatic talk meaning "butcher".

I cannot understand why former Prime Minister Paul Keating - who did little or nothing to stop Soeharto's abuses and corruption - would represent Australia at his funeral. The only diplomatic message is that we are not sending a current or immediate past member of the Australian Government. Australia need not send anybody.

Australia's official (& unofficial) comment should be:

"Former Indonesian President Soeharto (Suharto) has died from multiple organ failure aged 86. His family will miss him."

John