Suharto

Suharto or Soeharto (both: shär`tō), 1921–, president of Indonesia (1967–98). A veteran of the war for independence (1945–49) against the Dutch, he became army chief of staff in 1965. He opposed the pro-Chinese policies of President Sukarno and, while still relatively unknown, crushed a Communist coup in 1965 and then moved to replace Sukarno. Suharto assumed key civilian cabinet offices in 1966, became acting president in 1967, and assumed the office of supreme commander of the army and was elected president in 1968. He was reelected every five years from 1973 to 1998. Under Suharto, Indonesia gradually recovered from the economic morass into which it had fallen under Sukarno, achieving economic growth and political stability. Dissent was suppressed, however, in the name of consensus, and Suharto and his family used their power to enrich themselves and their friends. Economic instability and popular discontent with his rule forced Suharto's resignation in 1998, and subsequently a government corruption investigation was instituted, and Suharto was placed under house arrest in 2000 and later charged with corruption. The charges were dismissed, however, for health reasons.

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Suharto

Suharto

(credit: AP)

(born June 8, 1921, Kemusu Argamulja, Java, Dutch East Indies) Second president of Indonesia (1967–98). Suharto initially served in the Dutch colonial army, but after the Japanese conquest (1942) he joined a Japanese-sponsored defense corps. After Japan's surrender he joined the guerrilla forces seeking independence from the Dutch. When Indonesia became independent (1950), he was a lieutenant colonel. A strong anticommunist, he crushed what was purported to be an attempted communist coup d'état in 1965 with a ruthless purge of communists and leftists throughout the country that left as many as 1,000,000 dead. He deposed the sitting president, Sukarno, and was himself appointed president in 1967. He established authoritarian rule and was repeatedly elected without opposition. In 1975 he brutally annexed the former Portuguese colony of East Timor. A severe economic downturn focused public attention on his government's corruption, and this led to massive demonstrations that prompted his resignation in 1998, after 31 years in power.