>The way that Walt Rostow tells the story, on Kennedy's trip to
Indonesia Kennedy offered Sukarno Peace Corps workers, subsidized
loans, technical assistance, favored trade relations, et cetera et
cetera. Sukarno's response was: "Mr. President, economic development
takes
too long. Give me Irian Jaya instead..."<
and sukarno, as 'father of the nation' would perhaps have uttered such words. the resources of west papua/irian jaya are indeed a booty, without which indonesia would not have been able to raise the standard of living in indonesia for at least a time _without_ diminishing (and in fact vastly increasing) the wealth horded by the indonesian military. and now, a welcome return to our screens, the sukarno name in megawati sukarno putri in indonesia; in the philippines with aquino; in india with sonya ghandi; in pakistan with benazir bhutto... from fathers of the nation to mothers of the nation, and that of course with all the presumptions that they speak in the name of the father/husband... a very familial and cosy kind of holding on to power, but warmer... apparently.
Angela _________