Nowhere to hide<\/p>\n
Old age for Chile's former strongman Augusto Pinochet and
\nIndonesia's former president Suharto looks much different from
\nanything they had probably envisaged. These two distinguished
\nmen, each of whom fashioned himself as the savior of his country,
\nare now rethinking their retirement plans. Instead of basking in
\nthe glory of a job well done and receiving the thanks of a
\ngrateful nation, they both face trial.<\/p>\n
Pinochet's hopes for a quiet retirement were upset this week
\nwhen Chile's supreme court voted 14-6 to strip him of his
\nimmunity from prosecution. Pinochet now faces charges associated
\nwith the deaths and disappearances of more than 3,000 people
\nduring his 17-year rule.<\/p>\n
Pinochet may still avoid trial. He is 84 years old, and
\nChilean law stipulates that all defendants over the age of 70
\nmust undergo a mental examination to ensure that they are fit to
\nstand trial. Pinochet was sent home from Britain, where he was
\nfirst detained, for \"humanitarian reasons\" when doctors there
\ndetermined he was unfit for a sustained legal ordeal.<\/p>\n
Half a world away, Suharto was feeling the reverberations of
\nthe \"Pinochet Precedent\". On the same day that the Chilean
\nSupreme Court handed down its ruling, the Jakarta government
\nformally filed charges against the former president. In them,
\nSuharto was accusing of embezzling US$571 million from state-run
\nfoundations that were operated in his name during his 32 years in
\npower.<\/p>\n
Protesters are unlikely to be happy with the outcome of this
\ncase. The Indonesian government seems reluctant, at best, to
\nprosecute. The former president may also be declared unfit for
\ntrial. President Abdurrahman Wahid has said that he would pardon
\nSuharto if he is convicted of abuse of power.<\/p>\n
Some victims and their families complain that the two men are
\ngetting off easy, and that they benefit from legal protections
\nthey denied their enemies. They miss the point.<\/p>\n
Punishment is not the issue; justice is. These two men
\nconsidered themselves above the law. They have been brought back
\nto earth. Even if they do not face trial, they have been forced
\nto suffer the indignity of being examined and labeled
\nincompetent. Tyrants now know that they cannot hide from crimes
\nthey commit while in office.<\/p>\n
Victims and their families will find solace in knowing that
\nthe perpetrators of crimes against them have been condemned for
\ntheir acts. Some will be punished. Others will not, but they will
\nno longer sleep as soundly as before.<\/p>\n
-- The Japan Times, Tokyo<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/nowhere-to-hide-1447899208", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }