Prosecuting former president Soeharto

Prosecuting former president Soeharto

From Media Indonesia

The demands of some people that the government should prosecute former president Soeharto for his actions which have caused losses to the nation and the state, are, in my opinion, unrealistic. The reason is that the majority of the Reform Order personnel are those who were raised by Soeharto.

I think it is better to wait until after the general election, when a new Cabinet will have been formed. The Cabinet will be more reformist and its members will not be indebted to Soeharto.

If Soeharto is sued now, his cronies will investigate him. I am afraid we will not be amused by the playacting in the court. It will end in an anticlimax.

It may happen that after going through a long and tiring process of investigation showing a lot of "seriousness", Soeharto will finally be found "not guilty", and in the name of the law, his name must immediately be rehabilitated.

If that happens, the next government (which we expect to be more reformist) will not be able to bring Soeharto to court because, according to the law, nobody can be prosecuted for the same case twice.

In my opinion, it is more realistic to demand the Habibie government to determine Soeharto as a suspect, e.g. for cases he has himself admitted and which are violations according to the prevailing laws.

Did Soeharto not say in one of his autobiographies that he ordered undercover agents to shoot down hoodlums in 1982 (known as mysterious shootings)?. Based on this admission, the public can urge the government to bring Soeharto to court on charges of violations which he disclosed himself.

If the status of suspect is given to Soeharto, it will be easier for the public to demand accountability from the former president for other cases.

AGUS TINGGAL PRANOTO

Jakarta