Suharto’s Death Announced

29 January 2008.

The Mirror, Vol. 12, No. 545

“An Indonesian senior police official reported that former President Suharto, who had been in power with an iron fist for 32 years in Indonesia, died on 27 January 2008 in Jakarta, at the age of 86 years.

“A Jakarta district police official, Mr. Dicky Sondani, told the press that the former president died at 13:10 local time. Dr. Mardjo Soebiandono, the head of the medical team, assessed Suharto’s health condition shortly before his death as very serious. The Indonesian media networks immediately changed their TV broadcasting programs to transmit live from the hospital, showing one of Suharto’s daughters crying.

“The Indonesian former president was suffering from multiple diseases, including of the heart, the lung, the kidneys, and the digestive apparatus. During the last three weeks that Suharto was suffering serious conditions, his burial place had been openly prepared. The Indonesian Air Forces have arranged five airplanes in Jakarta, to bring Suharto’s coffin and his relatives to central Java, where his body will be buried.

“Suharto had been toppled by mass street protests in May 1998 at the end of his political career. He used to be considered the Father of the Development of Indonesia, but he was also found to be the most corrupt leader in the world. According to certain evaluations, Suharto and his family have amassed between US$15 and 35 billions. The attempts to bring him to court failed many times due to his poor health. Now a week of official mourning was declared, and the Indonesian national flag was lowered to half-mast in front of the president’s office.

“Suharto, who was the Father of the National Development of Indonesia, was also an atrocious commander during 1965 and 1966, wiping out the Indonesian communist party and its alleged alliances, causing the death of 500,000 to 1 million people. As a ruler, who cracked down on his political opponents, he crushed also separatist uprisings and occupied East Timor, which led to the killing of one third of the citizens of East Timor.

“Shortly after the announcement of Suharto’s death, his body was sent to his house in a Jakarta municipality. The Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Vice President Jusuf Kalla had paid a condolence visit to Suharto’s family in the afternoon of 27 January. Suharto’s body will be buried on 28 January in the central part of Java.”

Koh Santepheap, Vol.41, #6256, 28.01.2008