Indonesian laws weak<\/p>\n
We have of late been \"entertained\" by various opinions and
\nstories in your paper on former president Soeharto's wealth and
\nthe urgency for a quick inquiry. In general I personally agree
\nwith an article on this subject written by Michael Richardson and
\nPhilip Segal for the International Herald Tribune of September
\n21, 1998. The following is the essence of that particular
\narticle.<\/p>\n
\"As official Indonesian investigators prepare to question
\nformer president Soeharto for the first time about his wealth,
\nexperts are cautioning that any criminal wrongdoing will be hard
\nto prove and that the tracing and recovery of money and assets
\nwill be equally difficult, especially if they are outside
\nIndonesia.\"<\/p>\n
Weaknesses and loopholes in the country's legal system and the
\nfact that Mr. Soeharto in effect ruled by decree for much of his
\n32 years in power -- with a compliant legislature to rubberstamp
\nhis actions -- mean that all his actions are likely to be
\ntechnically legal, lawyers and other specialists say.<\/p>\n
\"Before international accounts and investigators can do their
\nwork, they need clear proof that laws were broken,\" said Jeffrey
\nWinters, a political scientist at Northwestern University in
\nChicago and a specialist on Indonesia.\" No wonder Soeharto, his
\nfamily members, and other cronies have the confidence to declare
\nthat they have done nothing wrong as they enriched themselves.\"
\nEven though they amassed fortunes worth billions of dollars, he
\nsaid, \"The sad truth is that Indonesian laws might be so weak
\nthat legally speaking, their claims of innocence could be true.\"<\/p>\n
So, what now My Love? (Maybe we should first take the abuse of
\npower and Human Rights as a clear proof that laws were broken).<\/p>\n
DEWI ASIAH R.A.<\/p>\n
H.B. Jassin Documentation Center<\/p>\n
Jakarta<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/indonesian-laws-weak-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }