Gone was the Smiling General

I read the text message, after I got out of a movie theater, that Indonesia's second president was died today at 1:10PM at Pertamina Hospital. Follow this link and read Mantan Presiden Soeharto Wafat. Gone was the smiling general, former leader of this vast archipelago for 32 years. I sent out my prayer for him. I believe he needs it. Let God be the judge for all his past doings, good and bad. Let’s take it as the starting point to deal with our past — there’s no more place for impunity.

Ten years ago these were the days when the exchange rate from US Dollar was as high as seventeen to eighteen thousands to Indonesia Rupiah. The next couple of months people lived in fear — student-activists just gone missing, ethnics butchering rumors lingered on — led to one of the darkest milestone in Indonesia’s history, the Black May tragedy.

We can forgive, but let’s not forget… We are Indonesians and we have the rights to bequeath justice to the next generation — that all tears, sufferings, tragedies, and sacrifices were not buried and died in vain and that we have hope to build a better and dignified Indonesia.