No trespassing on Soeharto land

No trespassing on Soeharto land

From time to time I visit the family of a friend who has a
bungalow in Lebak Ciheurang, West Java. There are two ways to get
there: One is much longer and the road is very winding and rough.
The second is through a gate that goes past a group of houses
connected to pak Soeharto's cattle ranch. These houses are for
his staff (most likely supervisory, as the houses are very nice).
This route used to be kept locked but since Soeharto was deposed
the gate has been opened, thus saving 30 minutes off the travel
time for visitors to the area.

I was going to visit my friend at the bungalow recently. I
arrived at the gate at 10:30 p.m. and was denied entrance. The
guards, of which there were four, stated that this was private
land and that it was too late to enter. I said that if I had to
return to the main road to take the other route it would add an
hour to my trip. After some haggling, I was allowed to pass.

Hasn't the time come to start doing something about the second
ex-president and his family's holdings? It seems they're low on
the priority list of alleged corruptors for punishment. The
cattle are all the very finest and are well looked after.
Wouldn't it be in the best interests of the people to have the
government take over this ranch and have the profits go to the
poor whose land was stolen when the ranch was established?

Other Soeharto family members also own large tracts in that
area. One has built numerous glass houses in which paprika and
tomatoes are grown. He also has a large tea plantation. The land
up until recently was guarded by members of the army's Special
Forces. As a way of paying back some of the country's debt that
was incurred by this family wouldn't it be better for the
government to take over this farm and reap the profits? Or are we
to keep on making the Soeharto family one of the richest in the
world?

Who is paying to keep this road closed? Who pays for the
guards? What are they guarding?

AMINATUN

Jakarta