Nograhany Widhi K, Jakarta – Demonstrations have consistently dogged the life of former President Suharto, both when he was in power and when he has been sick. “Try Suharto!”.
Fifteen people from the families of human rights victims ‘patrolled’ the Pertamina Central Hospital where Pak Suharto is undergoing treatment. They protested by standing in a row in front of the entrance to the hospital on Jl. Kyai Maja in South Jakarta on Friday January 11.
Without making any fiery speeches, the demonstrators from the Solidarity Network for the Families of Victims (JSKK) simply read out a statement calling for legal proceedings against Suharto to be completed.
The demonstrators, the majority of whom were the parents of student activists abducted in 1997-98 and victims of the Tanjung Priok and Trisakti shootings, simply held up posters with the message “Try Suharto”.
The protesters also prayed for Suharto’s recovery and presented a variety of small coloured flowers to the former president. “These flowers are for Pak [Su]Harto’s recovery”, said Suciwati, the wife of the late Munir.
The coordinator of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras), Usman Hamid said that they had come to express their sympathy for Suharto who is seriously ill at the moment. “If it is indeed feasible why shouldn’t Suharto be tried, as suggested by House or Representatives speaker Hidayat Nurwahid, legal proceedings must continue”, said Hamid. (aan/nrl)
[Translated by James Balowski.]