"I told you I was sick." Suharto dies.

[Qingdai]

After some articles on BBC, indicating that he was faking being sick to manipulate Indonesian politics, he finally died.

BBC NEWS | Asia-Pacific | Indonesia set for Suharto funeral

I'll always remember him as Big Brother Harto, which was the translation of his popular name "Bung Harto." That and the look of utter fear on the faces of the Indonesians I spoke to them about him.

[1Samuel8]

Originally Posted by Qingdai

Suharto dies

Too little, too late.

[Watser?]

I wouldn't say too little, it is hard to see how he could be deader. Too late though.

It's kind of annoying they refer to him as former president. That's former dictator.

[Qingdai]

Very little Indonesian news is reported here, what is the news in your neck of the woods, Watser?

[Watser?]

Hmmmm, there's not as much as I thought there would be.

Here's some by Radio Netherlands about the funeral.

They used to pay more attention to Indonesia it seems. Maybe the generation who still felt very close is dying out.

De Volkskrant has some more (in Dutch). They have a video and a long article where they note that one of former president Sukarno's daughters was angry on tv: 'I'll never forgive Sukarno for what he did to my father'.
According to de Volkskrant her interview was a lone voice of criticism during the national mourning on Indonesian tv.
The article also quotes Amin Rais who was one of the leaders of the protests that brought Suharto down. He calls for continuing the investigations into the corruption of the Suharto family. And Sukarno's last wife who calls him worse than Pol Pot.

I have to say I am glad de Volkskrant is critical because the government certainly isn't. They regretted that they couldn't send the foreign minister because he was buried so soon. I didn't think they should have.

Originally Posted by Watser?

I wouldn't say too little, it is hard to see how he could be deader. Too late though.

A more spectacularly agonising death, maybe? Eaten alive by rodents or somesuch. Televised.

[Qingdai]

I've seen video of him feeding Komodo dragons in 1987, I was hoping for an accident.
Plus Komodo dragons get lunch! Win/win!

Just as long as there would have been blood and high-pitched screaming, but I guess it's too much to hope for now.

[Octavia]

Good riddance, I say. What a cretin. Why is it murderous dictators always live to be ancient old bastards?

*looks over at Robert Mugabe*

Just die, already.

[Deadlokd]

Very good riddance. Arriverderci Suharto.

[Ensign Steve]

Originally Posted by Uthgar the Brazen

A more spectacularly agonising death, maybe? Eaten alive by rodents or somesuch. Televised.

Or a violent coup would have been cool.

Originally Posted by Ensign Steve

Or a violent coup would have been cool.

If it were staged by komodo dragons, you betcha!

[BigBlue2]

Originally Posted by 1Samuel8

Too little, too late.

Better late than never

[Petra]

John Pilger weighs in.

[Qingdai]

I was a bit afraid he had become a zombie. Especially when he kept announcing he was going to retire and then kept being the president for two more terms.

[Qingdai]

Thanks for the link Petra.

Amy Goodman weighs in too.

I found this bit interesting.
"ALLAN NAIRN: Well, among the people in the poor compounds where I was, I guess the reaction was summed up by one woman who works in the market. She sells vegetables and cakes in one of the traditional markets. And she said, “Oh, Suharto, he died of overeating. He ate too much money. He ate so much that there wasn’t enough left for anybody else to eat.” People didn’t care, or they said good riddance. That seems to be the reaction among the poor."