Wahid orders arrest of Suharto's son

By Amit Baruah

SINGAPORE, SEPT. 15. The Indonesian President, Mr. Abdurrahman Wahid, has ordered the arrest of Mr. Tommy Suharto, son of former dictator, Gen. Suharto, in connection with a bomb attack.

``In the Cabinet meeting yesterday, I ordered the (police) to arrest Tommy Suharto in relation to the bomb case,'' Mr. Wahid told a religious gathering in Jakarta today. It was not immediately clear whether the ``bomb case'' the President was referring to was Wednesday's explosion at the Jakarta stock exchange building which killed 15 persons.

The President also warned that more places had been targeted for explosions. Apart from the attack on the stock exchange, the Philippine Ambassador to Indonesia was injured in a powerful blast and the office of the Attorney- General was targeted.

At yesterday's Cabinet meeting, Mr. Wahid told his colleagues that he was determined to bring the perpetrators to justice. ``I want the police chief and the Attorney-General not to hesitate to act against suspects regardless of their position or status,'' the President maintained. ``There are no sacred cows in this country,'' Mr. Wahid was quoted as telling the religious gathering.

There is little doubt that Mr. Wahid's move to arrest Mr. Tommy Suharto will be welcomed by the people. However, it is not clear whether the ``arrest'' is being backed by evidence of Mr. Tommy Suharto's involvement in the bombing.

However, the President's move can also be interpreted as a desperate measure where repeated questions are being raised about the civilian Government's ability to run in the strife-torn country. Wednesday's blast at the stock exchange building and the recent brutal murder of three U.N. staffers in West Timor have only gone to underline the country's helplessness at the growing violence.

Senior Ministers have openly begun to speak of the involvement of Gen. Suharto's supporters in the latest round of violence but have failed to provide any concrete proof. The Attorney-General, Mr. Marzuki Darusman, has gone as far as to say that the police investigations have stopped at some influential sections of the military. Sections of a poorly-paid military, which not so long ago had one of Gen. Suharto's sons-in-law as a top commander, is still reported to be backing remnants of the old, dictatorial regime.

Incidentally, Wednesday's bomb blast came a day before a hearing in the corruption trial involving Gen. Suharto. The former General, who failed to turn up, will now be brought before the judges as a consequence of a court order.

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Section  : International
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