Protests, police at Suharto's hospital
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Protesters carried banners with the slogans "Stop Exploiting Suharto's Condition", "Treat Suharto as a regular citizen", "Bring Suharto and his cronies to court" and "Confiscate the wealth of Suharto and his cronies". (AFP Photo: Adek Berry)
Indonesian anti-riot police have briefly clashed with about 100 demonstrators calling for former Indonesian president Suharto to be brought to justice.
Students and human rights activists gathered outside the Jakarta hospital where the ailing 86-year-old Suharto is being treated.
Police barred them from entering, and were later joined by anti-riot police wearing shields and helmets.
A reporter saw police briefly hitting demonstrators. One student was arrested.
Indonesia's Attorney-General recently offered Suharto's family an out-of-court settlement in a $1.6 billion civil case against him, based on allegations he embezzled money from a charity during his rule.
His family has rejected the offer, saying Suharto had done nothing wrong.
The protesters outside the hospital carried banners with the slogans "Stop Exploiting Suharto's Condition", "Treat Suharto as a regular citizen", "Bring Suharto and his cronies to court" and "Confiscate the wealth of Suharto and his cronies".
The former president, who ruled Indonesia for 32 years, has been in hospital for more than two weeks and is on a ventilator after suffering multiple organ failure.
Doctors said today that his condition had improved and he could eventually recover enough to go home.
- Reuters
