Tuesday, May 26, 1998

Indonesia now needs stability in government

Suharto's departure solves only half of Indonesia's problem. The next and more difficult step is finding a stable, popularly supported successor government.

Unhappily, the alternatives are not good. Indonesia has no tradition of democracy, and after Suharto's 32 years in power most Indonesians have no experience with a change of government of any kind.

For a government to come to power the way Suharto did, by military coup, would leave the country worse off than before. The West tolerated Suharto as a staunch anti-communist and relatively benign dictator, but the same conditions do not apply today, a message that should be conveyed to the two rival generals who envision themselves as the next leaders of Indonesia.

After decades of suppression, there is no effective opposition waiting in the wings to take power. The anti-government demonstrators, mostly students, seem united only in their dislike of Suharto and their unhappiness with Indonesia's economic free-fall.

And then there is Suharto's anointed successor, Vice President B.J. Habibie, a bright but eccentric engineer who may only be Suharto Lite. Because Habibie is known for referring to his ex-boss as "SGS," for "Super Genius Suharto," his independence from the old regime is in question.

Suharto had just himself named to a new five-year term, so technically Habibie governs until 2003. With no popular mandate, he may be lucky to last five months. He is naming a new cabinet and new economic team, but more important than new faces is that Habibie take quick concrete steps toward a government chosen by democratic principles.

The West's economic bailout, both bilateral aid and International Monetary Fund's $43 billion rescue package, should be conditioned on those steps and should be accompanied by whatever other positive assistance we can give.

Even though Secretary of State Madeleine Albright gave Suharto a helping shove out the door - or, as she put it, "a historic opportunity for statesmanship" - the United States bears considerable responsibility toward Indonesia because for years we willingly embraced the old kleptocrat as an ally.