Soeharto says fair election 'difficult'<\/p>\n
TOKYO (Reuters): A climate of violence and fierce competition
\nthreatens the fairness of Indonesian general elections in June,
\nformer president Soeharto said in an interview published on
\nWednesday.<\/p>\n
Spreading violence and the presence of dozens of new political
\nparties will make holding fair elections \"difficult\", the former
\npolitical strongman said in a Jakarta interview with Japanese
\nnewspaper Yomiuri Shimbun.<\/p>\n
It was the first interview Soeharto has given since leaving
\noffice last May. His youngest son, Hutomo Mandala Putra or Tommy,
\nis currently on trial on graft charges.<\/p>\n
\"The number of political parties has grown from three to 48.
\nEven with three parties, it was hard to carry out fair elections.
\nI doubt that free and fair elections are possible with 48
\nparties,\" he was quoted as saying.<\/p>\n
\"There are politicians in local areas who are making use of
\nthis and fanning violence,\" Soeharto said, noting difficulties in
\npreparing for the elections.<\/p>\n
He acknowledged that holding elections was one phase of
\npolitical reform, but said current conditions were ripe for a
\nrevival of communism in Indonesia, the Yomiuri said.<\/p>\n
He blamed detained guerrilla leader Alexandre \"Xanana\" Gusmao,
\nwho urged a popular insurrection last week, for bloody clashes
\nbetween pro-independence forces and Jakarta loyalists that have
\nrocked East Timor since.<\/p>\n
\"The Indonesian government, in an effort to swiftly solve the
\nproblem (of East Timor), has given its people the choice of
\nindependence or autonomy, and has also provided Gusmao with
\nchances to solve the problem,\" he was quoted as saying.<\/p>\n
\"But he has merely called for fighting against the country,
\nbecoming the root of the problem,\" Soeharto said.<\/p>\n
Soeharto said it had been the wish of East Timor to join
\nIndonesia, not the other way around, and that the country \"was
\nnot able to refuse them\".<\/p>\n
Soeharto, who resigned in May last year, said he decided to
\nstep down mainly to avoid widespread bloodshed.<\/p>\n
\"I had the support of the military, and if they had used their
\nstrength, there was the possibility that many could have died as
\na result, particularly many of the students who are the future of
\nour country,\" he was quoted as saying.<\/p>\n
\"The people wanted me to quit, and so if that was for the
\nbenefit of the country, it was an appropriate thing to do,\" he
\nsaid. \"But the results of this are as you see now.\"<\/p>\n
Tommy went on trial on graft charges on Monday -- the first
\nmember of what was once the country's most powerful family to be
\ntried since Soeharto's downfall.<\/p>\n
Tommy and two other men have been charged with corruption over
\nthe lease of government land by one of his companies.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian authorities have been questioning Soeharto and
\nother family members over allegations of corruption, but Tommy is
\nthe first to be formally charged.<\/p>\n
The former general and his family have been accused of
\namassing a multi-billion fortune during his army-backed 32-year
\nrule.<\/p>",
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