I was on an Internet list for Indonesian students in the U.S. and other countries. The riots in the Spice Islands were a hot issue in discussions. The possibility of the military initiating these riots did not enter the discussion. If so, I am afraid that the task facing Wahid is extremely hard. If he manages to outmaneuver the military, he still has to convince the people to be more tolerant of each other.
Any little spark can easily create a big fire.
I am an Indonesian and believe it is not true that Muslims hate Christians, or natives hate Chinese. These were convenient political strategies used to repress one faction or another during the Suharto regime. The younger generation, who spent most of their lives in the shadow of Suharto, should also realize this truth. The reference to Lifebuoy soap and Close-Up is outdated by about three years. Today Unilever has in Zhonghua the No.