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Revision as of 04:35, 17 April 2006

Gen. Prabowo or Prabowo Subianto was Suharto's son-in-law who allegedly staged the chaos, plunderings, rapings, and murders during the 1998 Reformation. He is the son of former finance minister, Sumitro Djojohadikusumo and his brother was the controller of one of Indonesia's larger conglomerates, the Tirtamas Group, before it went bankrupt during the 1997-98 economic crisis.

Prabowo was considered opportunist and sadistic figure. Back at the East Timor, he was involved in many human rights violation at the conflict zone. But most of his crimes were done during the 1998 Reformation. By the time, he was involved in the kidnappings, tortures, abuses, and murders over the anti-Suharto intellectuals and activists. The sadistic operations were mostly done using his men and loyalists within the Indonesian Army, especially its elite unit, Kopassus. Many of the victims were still missing and believed to be dead by now, including poet and artist Wiji Tukul, and Bimo Petrus Anugerah, Ismail, Mochammad Yusuf, Sonny, Ryan or Yani Afri, Ucok Munandar Siahaan, Yadin Muhyidin, Noval Said Alkatiri, Herman Hendrawan, Suyat, Deddy Hamdun, dan Hendra Hambali. But some of his victims were still alive to tell the story, including Pius Lustri Lanang, Desmon Mahesa, Haryanto Taslam, and those who are now members of IKOHI (Ikatan Keluarga Orang Hilang Indonesia - Indonesian association of family of the missing people), which are Mugiyanto, Aan Rusdiyanto, Nezar Patria, Faisol Reza, Rahardjo Waluyo Jati, dan Andi Arif.

Beside the abuses over the activists, Prabowo, Kopasus, and also his- in de facto -controlled Army were also believed to be the field-executor in triggering chaos during this time, 1997 and 1998, which mostly targeting the minority race of Indonesian-Chinese. This theory was supported by many facts:

• 1. One of the worst chaos occurred at the city of Solo, Central Java. While, the headquarters of Kopasus was just a few miles southwest of the city. This at least conclude that: either the Kopasus (which in that scale of chaos supposed to be supporting the overwhelmed polices to stabilize the condition), was passively letting the angry mob rampaged the city, or worse, Kopasus was the field-mastermind behind the chaos of the city.
• 2. By end of May 1998, Minister of Security and Defense and the highest commander of ABRI ( Indonesian military), General Wiranto seemed to understand the situation and the crooks behind the mess. He understood that the main sources of the chaos was actually the supposed-to-be peacekeepers, the army. And he understood that in de facto condition, he was maybe weaker than Prabowo, as he was only somekind of puppet leader established by Suharto at the post. So, he brilliantly asked for an army top officials summit at East Java because he believed that this summit could pull out the chaos-masterminds from the chaos zones. At the same day, Wiranto brought the Marines from East Java to West Java and Central Java to ease the chaos. Miraculously, the chaos decreased overnight. At another side, Prabowo publicly stated his opposing stance against Wiranto's move, especially the summit, and he is still angry at this summit until now. This case could brought speculation theory that the summit at East Java forced Prabowo to leave his 'operation zone', which decreased the scale of the chaos.
• 3. Some witnesses said that in many plunderings, pillages, and arsons that occurred at Jakarta, the capital city, and also at Solo, Central Java, there were few men who used sophisticated tools - which nearly impossible to be possessed by ordinary civilians, such as flame-shooting weapons.

The reason for the chaos-triggering was actually pretty simple. Prabowo was Suharto's loyalist. While, Suharto was pushed by the people to resign by the time. So, to show and strengthen the believe that "only Suharto could keep the country safe", Suharto believed to be ordering his loyalists to trigger chaos. This was hopefully could tell the people that "if you push the Big President, then you'll get chaos". But the chaos went to far and uncontrolled, which by the turn bited Suharto back. Finally, Suharto resigned from his post at May 1998 and replaced by his successor and vice-president, Habibie.

Even by now, after Suharto had resigned, Prabowo is still considered a powerful man, and pretty untouchable one. By now, he was never put to trial or at least investigation for crimes he committed. It means that even by now he hadn't account for crimes he'd committed. By end of 2003, Prabowo, who still had support in the Golkar, daringly, without any shame, ran for President. But he was defeated by Wiranto in the party's congress to decide the party's representative for President candidacy. And by now, Prabowo is still active in the politic and still waiting for a good opportunity to seize. Last year, he was believed to be involved in the spreading of "Wiranto AFI VCD", it was a VCD with cover of AFI , but consisted a documentation VCD of chaos of May 1998, and the documentation was mostly blaming the chaos to Wiranto. He also recently published a book under the help of his colleague, Fadli Zon, about his version of the May 1998 chaos climax, entitled "Politik Huru-Hara Mei 1998" - Mei 1998 Chaos Politic. The book was very subjectively blaming the chaos to the de jure leader by the time, Wiranto (although it has to be set clear that Wiranto by the time was just official leader, but all of the commands came directly from top - from the President; and also, Prabowo by the time was believed to own more field power than Wiranto as he had close ties with the Suharto himself. For note also, is that after Suharto resigned, Wiranto tried as best as he could to stabilize the country, especially with the "Malang summit strategy" that had been explained above).

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