Topic: Suharto

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Mitt Romney gaffes: 9 times the button-down candidate should have buttoned up

In politics, a gaffe is often described as a "truth told by accident." Mitt Romney has had relatively few of them during his time in politics, but when the former governor of Massachusetts commits one, it can be a doozy. Here’s a list of the most memorable.
People-powered democratic revolts - do they last?

Analyzing a selection of political revolutions - successful and not - around the globe since World War II

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Indonesia backs off plans to hike price of gas after protests

But pressure continues to mount to increase prices from their current, government-subsidized $2 per gallon, as the subsidies sap resources from education, health care, and other programs.
Backchannels
Graphic images flood out of Syria. Why no world uproar?

Grainy videos depict the violence that has killed at least 6,000 Syrians, but the prospects for international intervention appear dim. Is the world inured to the ubiquitous images?
Ethnic Chinese find a place for Year of the Dragon celebrations in Indonesia

After the lifting of a decades-old ban on displays of Chinese culture, ethnic Chinese in Indonesia ring in the Year of the Dragon New Year out in the open.
Backchannels
Thomas Friedman in Cairo: A fact-check

New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman is enormously influential, with a cabinet full of Pulitzer prizes, so it's important to set the record straight when he gets some facts wrong.
Indonesia targets crumbling roads to boost economy

Collapse of Indonesia's 'Golden Gate' bridge highlights inadequate roads that hold back the Indonesian economy, at a time when other Asian economies are prospering.
Mitt Romney gaffes: 9 times the button-down candidate should have buttoned up

In politics, a gaffe is often described as a "truth told by accident." Mitt Romney has had relatively few of them during his time in politics, but when the former governor of Massachusetts commits one, it can be a doozy. Here’s a list of the most memorable.
Global News Blog
Indonesia rakes in the gold at the Southeast Asian Games

At this year's Southeast Asian Games, Indonesia brought home an astounding 182 gold medals. 
Backchannels
In debate, Romney says handle Pakistan like Indonesia in the 1960s

In last night's Republican presidential debate, Mitt Romney cited the US role in Indonesia in the 1960s as a good model for Pakistan. But that might not be the best place to look for answers.
Witness to a decade that redefined Southeast Asia

As he leaves his post in Bangkok, a correspondent looks at how a rising China has changed the Southeast Asia region after 9/11.
Backchannels
Tunisia's Ben Ali: 'Me? Flee? Never!'

Deposed Tunisian dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, who was put on trial for corruption today in absentia, says he was tricked into leaving his country.
One man's crusade to stop toxic sludge dumping in Indonesia

Prigi Arisandi has devoted years to calling out Indonesian factories for toxic discharge into waterways. Today, he was awarded the 2011 Goldman Environmental Prize.
Tsunami gives Indonesian leader a reprieve from WikiLeaks

Newly leaked US cables accuse Indonesia President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono of spying on his opponents and paying off judges to protect allegedly corrupt allies.
People-powered democratic revolts - do they last?

Analyzing a selection of political revolutions - successful and not - around the globe since World War II
How much does Obama value freedom? Arab uprisings will be his test.

The overall endgame in the Middle East is not clear. But as the region is engulfed in radical change, the Obama administration faces a policy dilemma: Should it encourage the progression to democracy, or preserve autocratic leaders who offer allegiance to the US?
Could Indonesia's democracy be Egypt's model?

Abu Bakar Bashir's trial demonstrates the struggles Indonesia faces a decade after transitioning from authoritarian rule to the world's largest Muslim democracy.
Global News Blog
Indonesian military trial outrages activists who charge torture

An Indonesian military court sentenced three soldiers to less than a year in jail for their role in the torture of two farmers from Papua, sparking an outcry from human rights activists.
Obama trip to 'Muslim' Indonesia: Why stereotypes don't work

The Obama trip to Indonesia had the potential to go beyond praise for that country as a model of Islamic moderation. Indonesia is much more diverse than the label 'Muslim' implies.
Obama arrives in Indonesia to fanfare, but Mount Merapi ash will cut visit short

President Obama's visit to Indonesia, the world’s fourth-largest democracy and the country with more Muslims than any other, is expected to cover a broader range of issues than his trip to India.
Africa Monitor
Mozambique bread riots may be warning sign on African food security

As global wheat prices rise, Africans are feeling the pinch when buying something as simple as bread. Mozambique bread riots could be a warning sign for African nations who have leased fertile agricultural land to foreign countries.
Obama's (now delayed) trip to Indonesia: Can he make it an ally?

The Obama trip to Indonesia can build a bridge to the world's largest Muslim country, countering Al Qaeda-tied militants in Southeast Asia. It can also counter China's expansion in the region.
US plan to train Indonesia's special forces sets off alarm

The Obama administration wants to strengthen ties with Indonesia, including training for its special forces. But Indonesia’s elite military unit has been investigated for beatings, disappearances, and assassinations.
Prison for wealthy Indonesians puts Club Fed to shame

Wealthy Indonesian convicts can purchase prison cell upgrades, an investigation at a women’s prison in Indonesia found last month. Amenities range from air conditioning to maid service.
Abdurrahman Wahid: Former Indonesia president was a key democratic voice

Abdurrahman Wahid led Indonesia for two years after the fall of US-backed strongman President Suharto. He passed away Wednesday at a Jakarta hospital.
'Balibo Five' film tests free speech in Indonesia

Defying government censors, activists in Indonesia screened a film last week about the controversial 1975 killings of foreign journalists known as the Balibo Five. Organizers of an annual film festival are contesting the ban.
In Indonesia, police go toe-to-toe with anticorruption agency

Indonesian protesters rallied Tuesday against the arrest of two senior anticorruption officials. Many say police fabricated charges to stymie the increasingly effective agency.