For some, Soeharto still president<\/p>\n
ATAMBUA, East Nusa Tenggara: National events have escaped the
\nattention of a tribal group at Tafuli hamlet, Belu regency, as
\nthey still recognize Soeharto as the country's current president.<\/p>\n
\"The president of the Republic of Indonesia is Bapak Soeharto.
\nHis picture is still hanging on the walls of our houses,\" one of
\nthe tribal leaders Marcel Tas Au told Antara on Sunday.<\/p>\n
Even elementary students still claim that Soeharto is the
\ncurrent president, even though he stepped down in 1998.<\/p>\n
It was only on Sunday they discovered that Soeharto was no
\nlonger in office when the speaker of Belu council, Herman J. Loe,
\nofficially informed them about the current president during his
\nvisit to the village.<\/p>\n
Village head Benedictus Ato said they assumed Soeharto was
\nstill the president because they hadn't received any information
\non the change in the presidency since no officials ever came to
\nthem to extend the news and bring the photograph of the new
\npresident for them to see.<\/p>\n
The small village, which houses 420 families or 1,000 people,
\nis located around 100 kilometers from Atambua.<\/p>\n
No land transportation is available to reach the village which
\nis on a hilltop as the road to get there is rocky. (bby)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/for-some-soeharto-still-president-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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