The Indonesia Human Rights Committee,
Box 68-419,
Auckland.
5 April, 2000
MEDIA RELEASE: Successful Conference launches the new Indonesia Human Rights Committee
Conference key-note speaker, Dr George Aditjondro leading anti-corruption campaigner and academic told the weekend
conference “Towards Democracy in Indonesia” that New Zealand has a key role to play in locating the Suharto billions.
George and the other main conference speaker Murray Horton of the Campaign against Foreign Control in Aotearoa both
highlighted Suharto family land holdings. Tommy Suharto’s luxury resort “Lilybank” was last year mysteriously sold for
$1.00 to a suspected Suharto crony and a Queenstown holiday hideaway is owned by Suharto daughter, Titiek and her
husband former Kopassus head Lt General Prabowo. There is also a labyrinth of corporate ownership links between
businesses based here such as Brierleys and Indonesian Suharto ‘crony’ companies such as the Salim group.
While Suharto’s health is apparently helping him to escape the consequences of his crimes, the people are becoming
impatient - 40% of the budget goes on foreign debt and poverty and unemployment are rampant. Dr Aditjondro says that the
ill-gotten wealth of the entire family and cronies could amount to as much as US $100 billion.
Speaking for the new Committee, Maire Leadbeater said that, “Phil Goff the new Minister of Foreign Affairs and his
parliamentary colleagues Disarmament Minister Matt Robson and Green M.P. were well received by the conference
participants. However, the are all going to be under pressure to do what they can to see that there is a full
parliamentary enquiry into the Suharto assets in New Zealand.”
“We will also be pursuing the demand that the government undertake to examine past New Zealand foreign policy with
respect to Indonesia. The pro-Indonesia stand of past governments led us to turn a blind eye to genocide in East Timor.”
“We are now learning about militia provoked violence in other parts of Indonesia such as West Papua and about suspected
military backed murders in Aceh. New Zealand should not blindly accept that all is well in Indonesia - the military
still retains its pre-eminence and repression continues at many levels.” for further information: Maire Leadbeater -
09-376-9098 or cell phone 025-436-957