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