RI undergoing healing process, says Anderson

RI undergoing healing process, says Anderson

YOGYAKARTA (JP): Indonesia is in a healing process after
decaying for years under the untrammeled power of former
president Soeharto, leading Indonesianist Benedict Anderson of
Cornell University said on Monday.

"Indonesia is like a person just discharged from hospital, but
still needing to be assisted," Anderson told reporters after
speaking in a discussion on nationalism organized by Tempo, as
part of the celebrations of the magazine's 28th anniversary.

Anderson said that the veteran ruler had damaged the country's
economy, military and morale.

He also said that recent eruptions of violence in a number of
areas of the country resulted from Soeharto's unjust 32-year
rule.

Indonesia has been rocked by religious and ethnic clashes
since the potentate stepped down in May last year amid student
protests, riots which have killed some 1,200 people and the
country's worst ever economic crisis.

Since then, students, activists and opposition leaders have
been demanding that Soeharto be put on trial for alleged
corruption and human rights abuses during his years in power.

Anderson said last week that Soeharto's New Order was
responsible for the deaths of nearly 800,000 people, which he
said was unmatched in the archipelago's history.

Anderson however doubted on Monday that President B.J. Habibie
would be willing to thoroughly investigate his former mentor.

"Nobody believes that Habibie's government is a clean
government; he is part of the New Order regime.

"Everybody knows that Habibie will not confront Soeharto. If
your father did something which was very wrong, would you dare to
take him to court?" Anderson asked.

The probe into Soeharto's wealth has dragged on since June and
come under fire from legal experts and pro-reformists who have
accused the government of deliberate foot-dragging. (byg/23/44)