Soeharto's last chance

Soeharto's last chance

Finding the appropriate words has become impossible as by the
hour, more and more personal tragedies are revealed, showing that
barely a family in Aceh province has been left untouched by the
devastation.

Apart from the grief and sorrow of survivors, our thoughts are
with aid and rescue teams who bring with them water, food,
medical facilities and equipment -- and to hell with the
financial cost. The subject of cost makes one think of former
president Soeharto and the many people who believe he has
billions of dollars hidden away in a bank somewhere in Europe.

If this is true, then this tragic situation is an opportunity
for the Soeharto family to pay their dues to the nation -- before
the old man dies. If Indonesia needs one billion US dollars, and
the stories of hidden wealth are in fact true, then the
Soeharto's have no choice but to transfer that money to the
current Indonesian President.

Failure to do so would be the biggest crime of their lives,
for not only would they have turned their backs on this nation
and its desperate people, but also any hope of salvation.
Indonesia has just suffered its worst ever disaster; why should
it continue to suffer if this money is available?

This is a no-choice situation and perhaps an opportunity for
certain people to repent and be forgiven.

DAVID WALLIS, Medan