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Article: Stand down, Suharto: Indonesia needs a reformist president, both to mend the economy and to democratize the country.(economic problems in Indonesia may lead to a new government in the country)(Brief Article)(Editorial)
- Article from:
- The Economist (US)
- Article date:
- January 17, 1998
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1998 Economist Newspaper Ltd. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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IF ASIA'S restless crisis seems like a dog that won't lie down, no one must find the constant snapping at his heels more unjust and perplexing than President Suharto of Indonesia. Has he not presided over years of 7% annual growth? Did he not express due concern, and promise action, when the shockwaves from Thailand first hit Indonesia last August? Were not more unpleasant measures taken in September when the previous ones were, inexplicably, found wanting? Yes, yes and yes again. So why, he must ask himself, is he being thus punished? The answer, or a large part of it, is that the man whose 32-year rule has taken Indonesia from a scattering of unstable, poverty-stricken ...