Nowhere to hide
Nowhere to hide
Old age for Chile's former strongman Augusto Pinochet and
Indonesia's former president Suharto looks much different from
anything they had probably envisaged. These two distinguished
men, each of whom fashioned himself as the savior of his country,
are now rethinking their retirement plans. Instead of basking in
the glory of a job well done and receiving the thanks of a
grateful nation, they both face trial.
Pinochet's hopes for a quiet retirement were upset this week
when Chile's supreme court voted 14-6 to strip him of his
immunity from prosecution. Pinochet now faces charges associated
with the deaths and disappearances of more than 3,000 people
during his 17-year rule.
Pinochet may still avoid trial. He is 84 years old, and
Chilean law stipulates that all defendants over the age of 70
must undergo a mental examination to ensure that they are fit to
stand trial. Pinochet was sent home from Britain, where he was
first detained, for "humanitarian reasons" when doctors there
determined he was unfit for a sustained legal ordeal.
Half a world away, Suharto was feeling the reverberations of
the "Pinochet Precedent". On the same day that the Chilean
Supreme Court handed down its ruling, the Jakarta government
formally filed charges against the former president. In them,
Suharto was accusing of embezzling US$571 million from state-run
foundations that were operated in his name during his 32 years in
power.
Protesters are unlikely to be happy with the outcome of this
case. The Indonesian government seems reluctant, at best, to
prosecute. The former president may also be declared unfit for
trial. President Abdurrahman Wahid has said that he would pardon
Suharto if he is convicted of abuse of power.
Some victims and their families complain that the two men are
getting off easy, and that they benefit from legal protections
they denied their enemies. They miss the point.
Punishment is not the issue; justice is. These two men
considered themselves above the law. They have been brought back
to earth. Even if they do not face trial, they have been forced
to suffer the indignity of being examined and labeled
incompetent. Tyrants now know that they cannot hide from crimes
they commit while in office.
Victims and their families will find solace in knowing that
the perpetrators of crimes against them have been condemned for
their acts. Some will be punished. Others will not, but they will
no longer sleep as soundly as before.
-- The Japan Times, Tokyo