(4 of 6)
Too much has been written about Suharto. Enough is enough [WORLD, June 1]. Pol Pot is dead and resting in peace, so why not let Suharto live in peace with his family and enjoy the last part of his life as a private citizen? President B.J. Habibie should go on with his work but remember that the path to economic recovery is very bumpy. It will take hard work, sincerity, resilience and the fulfillment of the promises made to the Indonesian people. KAMARULZAMAN ZAINAL Kuala Lumpur
There are so many rumors flying around here, mostly irresponsible political gossip, about when new elections may be held. But we learn from history. This situation is exactly like the one in 1968, when Suharto deposed Sukarno because Sukarno's extravagant spending had damaged the economy. SAHABBUDIN NUR Uujungpandang, Indonesia
Habibie's loyalty to Suharto, extreme or otherwise, is common for a politician. There is nothing extraordinary about it, considering that Habibie has known Suharto since the new President was 13! But Habibie is loyal to Indonesia. No one else is better qualified to lead. It is still not possible, however, to resolve the country's economic problems quickly. As for the real and sensible changes alluded to, I am certain that the International Monetary Fund package is not meant to bail out Indonesia. On the contrary, its aim is to help foreign banks that have taken business risks in Indonesia and lost badly. Could everybody just stop interfering and let the Indonesians themselves decide what's good for the nation? They don't need more chaos. HUSSIN NAYAN Sarajevo
AN ALL-AMERICAN KILLER
I was fascinated by your report on the shooting in an Oregon high school in which 15-year-old Kip Kinkel is charged with firing on fellow students [NATION, June 1]. A neighbor described Kinkel as "an all-American kid," but the U.S. is the only country in the world whose society regards kids with guns as an everyday fact of life. People like this young killer grab headlines and become superstars in the media for doing monstrous things. If they didn't get so much attention in the press and on television, do you think these kinds of things would happen? Guns are weapons designed to kill. Why make them available to everyone? Don't put the blame on the school or the police. It's U.S. society that is ill. CHRISTIAN PODESTA CARLEVARIS Buenos Aires
You noted the spate of shootings by white male teens in American high schools, but what about the countless children growing up in impoverished areas in America's urban jungles who witness violence on a day-to-day basis? Don't their stories deserve mention? Glamourized violence in the 'hood has leaped from the TV set into the schoolyard with tragic consequences. MELI MAIVUSAROKO West Chermside, Australia
FALLOUT FROM NUKE TESTS