Suharto, << soo HAHR toh >> (1921-2008), also spelled Soeharto, was president of Indonesia from 1968 to 1998. Under Suharto, Indonesia experienced strong economic growth. But Suharto suppressed human rights and used his power to make his family and allies wealthy.
Suharto was born on June 8, 1921, on Java when Indonesia was a colony of the Netherlands called the Dutch East Indies. He joined the Dutch colonial army in 1940, beginning a military career. Later, he fought the Dutch for Indonesian independence. Suharto seized power in 1966, after putting down a violent feud within the military. Suharto became acting president in 1967. The national legislature elected him president in 1968 and reelected him, unopposed, every five years through 1998.
In 1997 and 1998, Indonesia suffered one of the worst financial slumps in its history. Suharto’s management of the economic crisis led to calls for his resignation. Violent protests in key cities forced Suharto to resign in May 1998. In 2000, the government brought corruption charges against him. In 2006, it dropped the charges, saying he was too ill to stand trial. Suharto died on Jan. 27, 2008.
