Suharto accused

HE NOW becomes the star defendant. On August 3rd, ex-President Suharto was formally charged with corruption. Mr Suharto ruled Indonesia with an iron fist for more than three decades before resigning in disgrace in May 1998. He left amid an economic collapse and riots in the capital, Jakarta, that killed nearly 1,200 people. Since then, angry protesters have persistently, and sometimes violently, demanded that the old autocrat be brought to justice for his alleged misdeeds. Mr Suharto's critics have accused him of everything from corruption and nepotism on a grand scale to responsibility for brutalities, murder and worse. His trial will begin within a couple of weeks, adding more drama and uncertainty to a crucial month in Indonesian politics.