Could we isolate Soeharto?

Could we isolate Soeharto?

Soeharto is now a sick old man, stripped from all his powers,
mentally ill and there is nothing he can do from a political
point of view. The once mighty man is now just a man, nothing
more and nothing less. In spite of all these facts, people are
still associating him with magic powers and (thinking he) could
make a political come-back, which in my mind is absurd. There are
even religious groups lately, which have vowed to defend Soeharto
with their lives if the government decides to bring him to court.
So, even now, in his politically impotent condition, he manages
to create rifts among the Indonesians.

Demonstrations demanding Soeharto's trial continue. Worse
still, as is proposed through a daily broadcast of Jakarta News
FM 97,4 is to try Soeharto by a people's tribunal, justice
similar to that of the French Revolution when the monarch died at
the guillotine. And according to the broadcast, this happened
again in the modern history of Rumania. This daily broadcast
indicates agreement of the Jakarta News FM to this proposal, and
common people can become easy pray to his unhealthy propaganda.

In this era of reform when we want supremacy of law in its
proper place, this kind of suggestion is dangerous, because now
and then we hear demands during demonstrations to bring Soeharto
before a people's tribunal.

What I want to point out is that Soeharto, even in his "weak"
position, can create rifts and trouble among young people and
endanger national unity.

In my modest opinion, we should try to find ways and means to
improve the overall national situation, which is deteriorating
with chaos everywhere. We must aim our energy to something more
useful than political demonstrations which only worsen people's
sufferings.

We need a calm and conducive atmosphere so that we can
implement the things we have planned based on the legal system. I
think I should offer my idea. What if we transfer Soeharto to a
remote place (island) far from the political center of Indonesia?

There are plenty of small islands where we can put Soeharto
with a token guard and facilities befitting an ex-president, who
in his time had his share in improving the national situation. He
can bring along his pets and things he likes, to keep him busy.

During the Dutch colonial time I think Sukarno and Hatta were
detained in such isolated places, like Digul in Irian Jaya, for
the sake of peace (according to the Dutch interpretation).

Isolating Soeharto, which hopefully can bring peace for him,
will create opportunities for the government to start thinking
about how to improve the national situation. Is this isolation
possible without violating existing laws. Just think it over.

SOEGIH ARTO

Jakarta