Suharto is finally dead! (1 Viewer)

[Nebuchanezzar]

Former president Suharto, hailed as the father of development by some Indonesians during his 32 years in power and accused of corruption and rights abuses by others, died on Sunday after a long illness.

He was 86. He died in hospital after lapsing into a coma and suffering multiple organ failure.

"On behalf of this country, the people, the government and me personally, I would like to say our deep condolences on the death of Mr Haji Muhammad Suharto and I call on all the people of Indonesia to pray for him,'' President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said in comments broadcast on Elshinta radio.

Members of Suharto's family had gathered late last night at the Pertamina hospital in Jakarta where he was being treated after his health suddenly deteriorated.

"We, the whole family, thank everyone who has prayed for our father,'' said Suharto's eldest daughter Siti Hadijanti Rukmana, also known as Tutut, sobbing as she addressed a press conference at the hospital.

Mardjo Soebiandono, the head of the medical team who had treated Suharto, told the press conference that Suharto had "peacefully passed away'' at 1.10pm (5.10pm AEDT).

Suharto had been in critical condition in hospital since January 4 suffering from heart, lung and kidney problems.

Suharto, accused by critics of amassing a multi-billion-dollar fortune during his rule of the world's most populous Muslim nation, had suffered from bouts of ill health since being swept from power in 1998 during mass unrest.

The former general's rule was marked by rapid economic growth and political stability, but marred by massacres, human rights abuses and endemic corruption.

Suharto came to power after an abortive coup on September 30, 1965, that was officially blamed on the communist party. Up to 500,000 people were killed in an anti-communist purge in the months that followed.

He was forced to step down in 1998 as the Asian financial crisis sparked economic and social chaos, leading to calls for greater democracy.

But some Indonesians look back with nostalgia to the Suharto era, when Indonesia was one of Asia's tiger economies, and refer to him fondly as the "father of development''.

Justice!

Now watch as our spineless Prime Minister travels overseas to pay tribute to this murderer.

Edit: I'll take that back if ol' Ruddy doesn't pay tribute to this guy.

 

[Nebuchanezzar]

Yes, it is.

And unless the lives of 500,000+ Australians are at risk as a result of not going to this killers funeral, then I don't think the relationship is worth it.

 

[Captain Gh3y]

let's picket his funeral

"GOD HATES FORMER INDONESIAN DICTATORS"

 

[Captain Gh3y]

oh Krudd will be there for sure, he loves sucking up to those yellow types

apparently he speaks one of their languages, if you hadn't heard

 

[Nebuchanezzar]

Who cares about the symbolic interpretation of it.

Families of the thousands he killed? :rofl:

It will make no difference to the people Suharto harmed.

No but if every Rudd, Bush and Merkel turned up for the funeral of a leader who slaughtered half a million people, then that might be seen as being tantamount to not really giving a crap about genocide/mass murder and so on, which can never been seen as being a, uh, how do you say, "tangible gain". In fact, if aspiring countries such as China or North Korea saw this sort of endorsement, then they might get the wrong message. You see the same kind of results in regards to Australias flip-floppish attitude towards capital punishment in Indonesia.

 

[Slidey]

I hope this fucker rots in his grave and is never met by the god he committed his massacres in the name of.

 

[Nebuchanezzar]

yeah those devestated families are gonna be really interested in the response of the PM of Australia (remember most people around the world dont even know we exist let alone who our PM is).

Sounds to be like you're struggling to back up your views now, lol. And in any case, as I said, I think there ought to be a respect for life among the community of world leaders. So even if ol Tom, Dick and Harry Chambuckayono of Suva didn't hear about Rudd going, fact still remains that he travelled to pay his respects to the killer. That's not cool.

What tangible difference will it make? I mean are future dictators going to see this as a sign that this behaviour is accepted by the international community?

It's possible. Not a line I think Australia should be walking along.

Secondly, not everything can or ought to be measured in "tangible differences"

And in terms of tangible differences, I ask what tangible loss will result from Rudd not going eh? Any loss to Australia's relationship with Indonesia will be minimal at worst, and certainly won't outweigh the moral impact of not going to the funeral of Suharto the Slaughterer.

 

[Slidey]

If Rudd attends that bastard's funeral, I'll be mightily pissed off.

He was an enormously evil man who deserves no recognition or praise in death.

Now if only some of China's problems could die in the same way one of Indonesia's has.

 

[Nebuchanezzar]

WHAT MORAL IMPACT? What result will it actually have that will actually make a difference to anyone's life?

ehm, moral, meaning that it'd be bad? you stupid son of a bitch.

but apparently you only speak in terms of tangible difference so it doesn't really matter, lol. There won't be any immideate tangible difference made by Rudd attending the celebration of the life of a ruthless, murderous dictator, therefore it's a perfectly reasonable thing to do! Hooray for Zimmerman!

 

[Captain Gh3y]

Sounds like you would have attended Hitler's funeral

 

[xeuyrawp]

Sounds like you would have attended Hitler's funeral

hahah, Godwin's already?

 

[jimmayyy]

Attending a funeral out of respect does not constitute a condonement of the fucked up shit he did, you moron.

thats exactly what it does, you fucking idiot. Rudd should set an example by snubbing it.

why else would you "pay respect" to a man if you didn't like/agree with/condone him?

oh wait, we are labour australia. suck up to asians LOLZ!

 

[Captain Gh3y]

hahah, Godwin's already?

Hitler would have invoked Godwin's law

 

[Slidey]

Attending a funeral out of respect does not constitute a condonement of the fucked up shit he did, you moron.

Yes it does. What else does it constitute? Trying to appease the most populous Muslim nation in the world because they loved the evil fucker?

 

[jb_nc]

Apparently the AG and Paul Keating are going over (The Oz's website said so).

Suprised Gough isn't going over to shoot some cameramen and then cover it up for old times sake.

 

[veridis]

he was on my death list this year, only 14 points but i'm still happy.