---------------------------------------------------------- Unsubscribe?, send your mail to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] with body mail: "signoff indonews" need more help?, send your mail to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] with body mail: "info refcard" ---------------------------------------------------------- Suharto spends Moslem festival in wife's hometown despite protests SOLO, Central Java, Jan 19 (AFP) - Former Indonesian president Suharto spent the Moslem holiday here Tuesday with his family despite strong opposition and widespread calls for his house arrest. Suharto, his children, grandchildren and other relatives attended Tuesday's Eid al-Fitr prayers at the Kalitan palace, residence of his late wife Siti Suhartinah "Tien" Suharto. "Local residents come to Kalitan as well, they were allowed to pray along with Suharto in the open air at the resident's compound," an AFP photographer said. There were no uniformed security personnel at Kalitan palace, although many batik-shirted aides were seen guarding the compound. More than 200 local residents walked to Kalitan palace to join the prayers inside and outside the compound. Afterwards those outside swarmed to the east and west gates to shake hands with Suharto. Men, women and children were pushing one another to get in, until they formed a queue to shake hands with the former president. "I am actually a Christian, sir. But I wanted to wish you a happy Eid el-Fitr holiday," said a woman holding a baby shaking hands with Suharto who replied, smiling, in Javanese: "Not a problem at all". Seated next to Suharto during the prayers was his youngest son Bambang Trihatmodjo and former state secretary Saadilah Mursjid. Suharto's plan to spend a Moslem holiday in his late wife's hometown has met with strong opposition. Students were threatening mass street rallies to protest his visit and local leaders of several youth organisations and political parties also met to discuss the visit and its likely implications. However, the chairman of the Solo chapter of Indonesia's highest Islamic authority, the Council of Indonesia Ulemas (MUI), Ahmad Slamet, called on the city's population to respect Suharto's rights to visit Solo and his wife's tomb. "Whoever the person is, including Suharto and his family, if they want to spend Eid al-Fitr and at the same time perform the Eid al-Fitr prayers in Solo, their rights should be respected," Slamet was quoted as saying Sunday by the Media Indonesia daily. Some 100 residents and students protested near the Kalitan palace late Monday shortly after Suharto and his family arrived. The protestors were demanding that Suharto apologise for his past mistakes and that he be brought to trial, the state Antara news agency said. No protests however were reported Tuesday when Suharto and his family were performing the Eid prayers. Suharto and his family also plan to hold a traditional religious ceremony at the Solo residence on the evening of January 21, the eve of the 1,000th day since Tien died of a heart attack in April 1997. They also wanted to pay their respects at her grave at the Mangadeg family mausoleum near Solo the following day. Since resigning as president on May 21 last year, Suharto has spent most of his time at his residence in Jakarta. Despite widespread calls for his house arrest while he is being investigated for possible corruption, collusion and nepotism during his 32-year rule, Habibie has made no move to restrict him. mp-pyp/jkb ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Didistribusikan tgl. 21 Jan 1999 jam 05:30:34 GMT+1 oleh: Indonesia Daily News Online <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> http://www.Indo-News.com/ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
