Indonesia is just beginning the long process of coming to terms with and overcoming the consequences of three decades of dictatorship under President Suharto. His New Order regime was dominated by the military and, despite efforts to put a democratic gloss on proceedings, the government was authoritarian and frequently violent.
To understand the problems facing Indonesia under President Abdurrahman Wahid, one needs to appreciate just how devastating and debilitating have been the consequences of prolonged misrule, repression of civil society and institutionalized looting by the elite.
It will take many years and considerably more patience than has been evident thus far for Indonesia to make even modest headway in dealing with the legacy left by Suharto's brutal kleptocracy.