Suharto Takes Full Power in Indonesia
Suharto, an Indonesian general, rose to power as the chief executive of Indonesia on February 22, 1967, following the transfer of authority from President Sukarno. His rule lasted for 31 years, during which he became a significant figure in Indonesia's history. Suharto was born in 1921 in Yogyakarta and played a crucial role in the Indonesian independence movement after World War II. His ascent to power was marked by a military coup attempt in 1965, which he quashed, subsequently consolidating his authority with the support of the military and Western allies, particularly through an anticommunist stance.
Throughout his regime, Suharto implemented policies that encouraged economic growth, attracting foreign investment and leveraging Indonesia's oil reserves, which improved the standard of living for many. However, his rule was also characterized by authoritarian governance, human rights abuses, and a brutal crackdown on communists and separatists, resulting in significant loss of life. Despite being re-elected multiple times, popular discontent grew, culminating in widespread protests in 1998 against his administration's corruption and heavy-handed tactics. Eventually, Suharto resigned on May 21, 1998, paving the way for a transition in leadership. His legacy remains complex, reflecting both economic achievements and a fraught political history.
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Suharto Takes Full Power in Indonesia
Suharto Takes Full Power in Indonesia
Suharto, the Indonesian general who ruled his country for 31 years, became the chief executive of his nation on February 22, 1967, when former leader President Sukarno transferred the last vestiges of his power to Suharto. Suharto would stay in power until 1998, when popular discontent and charges of corruption forced him to leave office.
Known simply by one name, Suharto was born on June 8, 1921, in Yogyakarta. At that time Indonesia was a colonial possession of the Netherlands. Suharto attended a military school and joined the Indonesian independence movement that followed World War II. At this time he received a commission in the Indonesian army under President Sukarno. During the 1950s Sukarno was faced with the difficult task of bringing order to a sprawling new nation consisting of hundreds of populated islands, whose people had a wide variety of cultural and ethnic differences and had been united only because of their collective opposition to Dutch rule. There was trouble from many directions, including separatist movements, the large Muslim segment of the population, and an active communist organization. A coup was attempted on September 30, 1965, and Suharto, who had risen to the rank of general, moved to save Sukarno and crush the conspirators.
Suharto used his new position of strength to consolidate power. Sukarno was weak and indecisive, while Suharto moved to get the support of the armed forces and the Muslims. He also acted to secure American support by taking a strong anticommunist stance. By March 1966 Suharto was the de facto leader of Indonesia, and in February 1967 he took the title of Acting President and finally removed Sukarno. Sukarno would live under house arrest until his death on June 21, 1970, in the capital city of Jakarta.
During the late 1960s Suharto launched a massive crackdown on communist sympathizers. Hundreds of thousands of people were killed, particularly in the countryside, and the Communist Party was outlawed. Suharto also suppressed the separatists, resulting in even more deaths. However, he moved effectively to encourage Western-style economic development, funded by the revenues from Indonesia's enormous petroleum reserves. Foreign investment began to flow into the country, in no small part because Suharto's rule proved to be stable even if authoritarian. The growing economy and ever-improving standard of living kept the mass of people largely satisfied. Suharto observed the ritual of reelection every five years, although the outcome was always a foregone conclusion: after his first formal election as president in 1968, he was returned in 1973, 1978, 1983, 1988, and 1993. However, his reelection in 1998 triggered an unexpected popular backlash. The normally passive Indonesian electorate balked at the aging leader's heavy-handed tactics, and there was popular criticism of how Suharto had used his position to line the pockets of his family and friends.
During the spring of 1998, student demonstrators flooded Jakarta. There were riots, and even his own rubber-stamp parliament turned against Suharto. Now 76 years old, Suharto saw the handwriting on the wall and decided to leave office. He resigned on May 21, 1998, leaving his vice president B. J. Habibie in charge until an official successor could be chosen.