Suharto Foes Attacked in Indonesia

More than 200 supporters of disgraced former Indonesian President Suharto attacked peaceful anti-Suharto protesters near the ousted autocrat’s central Jakarta home Tuesday.

At least one anti-Suharto protester was badly injured, a Reuters photographer at the scene said. The injured student was taken away by police, but it was not clear if he was being arrested or taken to a hospital.

The pro-Suharto group attacked the two dozen anti-Suharto protesters suddenly about midafternoon.

Rallies demanding that Suharto face trial over graft and human rights abuses during his 32-year, army-backed rule are common and sometimes erupt into violent clashes between protesters and riot police.

An additional 500 people protested near Jakarta’s Tanjung Priok port, demanding that Suharto and former military leaders be charged over the massacre of Muslim protesters by troops there in 1984.

The stroke-afflicted 79-year-old ex-general, forced from power amid economic and social turmoil in mid-1998, has been charged with graft over the misuse of more than $550 million from charities he controlled.

His trial is due to resume Thursday, although he failed to appear because of ill health when the case opened two weeks ago.

Critics accuse Suharto and his family of amassing a multibillion-dollar fortune during his rule.

The self-dubbed “Father of Development” is also accused of overseeing widespread human rights abuses as his New Order regime sought to crush dissidents, critics, labor activists and separatist rebels.

Suharto denies any wrongdoing. He faces life in prison over the charities case, although President Abdurrahman Wahid, persecuted as a dissident during Suharto’s rule, has said he would pardon him if he was convicted.