No more lies

While Andi M. Ghalib and Gen. Wiranto drag their feet in the sand, a great tidal wave of democracy has reached Indonesia's shores and is about to engulf them and those like them who refuse to open their eyes and see the future. Not so long ago, Indonesia was a nation of isolated kampongs and unsophisticated, docile villagers who could be lied to, appeased, flattered or bribed into submission by paternalistic leaders.

Now it is not. Now even the becak driver -- speaking rudimentary English -- discusses politics of underemployment and hunger with me. In Aceh and other places, like the burning buried peat of Kalimantan, people's long-repressed aspirations for self- determination and justice have surfaced and been fanned to life again in the fresh air of freedom of expression.

But what of Andi Ghalib and Wiranto and Muladi and Soeharto and his wayward children? These public figures think that they can continue to lie to the people about even the most obvious falsehoods and be believed. To Mr. Ghalib and Mr. Soeharto we say: this no longer works. Your words alone will not save you much longer. Your denials of wrongdoing are not credible. The people are not stupid and gullible. They know that there is ill- gotten wealth in the Cendana family. They know there has been no honest attempt by the country's highest law enforcement officers to use Indonesia's law enforcement apparatus to examine high- level corruption and violations of human rights.

Soeharto challenges his critics to find proof that he has enriched himself unlawfully. But this is no senile grandfather we are dealing with. This is a man whose ascension to power was purportedly validated by a letter that disappeared as mysteriously as did the young kidnap victims of 1997. This is the man who, as long as 30 years ago, understood the importance of eliminating incriminating evidence. Was he, then, likely to leave US$15 billion sitting in a bank in his own name? Of course not, as everyone but Attorney General Ghalib and justice minister Muladi seems to realize.

For months international experts have been warning that the Soeharto assets cannot be traced through the legal maze they have traveled, without some legal action on the paper of the Indonesian government. The necessary actions have yet to be taken. So why did Mr. Ghalib and minister Muladi travel to Switzerland, if their averred reason is dubious? Was it so that Mr. Ghalib could stash a windfall of Rp 2 billion in an untraceable Swiss or Austrian bank account?

Like Soeharto toward his accusers, Ghalib now cries foul at Lippo Bank and the Indonesian Corruption Watch (ICW). Will this proclamation of innocence be tolerated? Will the question about Ghalib's new wealth be quieted, just because he says he has done nothing wrong? Is there anyone to whom the story of a sports donation seems believable?

Mr. Habibie, though your days in office may be numbered you still have time to leave a legacy of honorable discharge of your presidential responsibility. Do the right thing, Mr. Habibie. Do not subject Indonesia's legal system to any more ridicule in the eyes of the world. Remove Mr. Ghalib from office promptly, pending a full investigation of his suspect conduct and the ICW's findings. Heed the tidal wave of the people's demand for truth.

DONNA K. WOODWARD

Medan, North Sumatra