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US hails Suharto as 'historic
figure"
By Agence France-Presse
From correspondents in Jakarta
29/01/08 "Herald
Sun" -- - THE United States hailed former
Indonesian president Suharto as a "historic figure" who
"achieved remarkable economic development", in a statement
released by its embassy in Jakarta.
“President Suharto led Indonesia for over 30 years, a period
during which Indonesia achieved remarkable economic and social
development,” ambassador Cameron Hume said in the release.
Suharto died yesterday aged 86 from multiple organ failure after
a three-week fight for life with heart, lung and kidney
problems.
Offering his condolences on behalf of the United States, Mr Hume
praised Suharto for his close ties to the United States and his
role in creating the Association of South-East Asian Nations
(ASEAN).
The ambassador did not mention the accusations of widespread
graft and human rights abuses that plagued Suharto's 32-year
rule.
“Though there may be some controversy over his legacy, President
Suharto was a historic figure who left a lasting imprint on
Indonesia and the region of South-East Asia,” the statement
read.
The United States was a steadfast ally of Suharto for much of
his rule, seeing the authoritarian ruler as an effective bulwark
against communism and a force for stability in the region.
Human rights abuses during Suharto's rule included a 1965-1966
crackdown on suspected communists and sympathisers that
historians estimate killed at least half a million people
Copyright Herald and Weekly Times
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