Indonesia's Suharto has state funeral in royal city

By Ahmad Pathoni

GIRIBANGUN, Indonesia (Reuters) - Former Indonesian president Suharto, whose 32 years in power were marred by graft and rights abuses, was buried near the royal city of Solo in a state funeral with full military honors on Monday.

Tens of thousands of people lined the roads in Jakarta and around Solo in Central Java, hoping to catch a glimpse of the former general's funeral procession.

The body was flown from the capital to Solo, then driven to the family mausoleum at Giribangun, 35 km (21 miles) northeast of the city, close to the burial grounds of Solo's kings.

Ousted in 1998 in a student-led protest amid social and economic chaos, Suharto died in hospital on Sunday aged 86 after suffering multiple organ failure.

Praised by many as a visionary who helped modernize his country, he was also heavily criticized for widespread corruption and human rights abuses.

"Father is only human, who has weaknesses and strengths and is not exempted from mistakes. If he has done good, may Allah multiply the goodness. If he has made mistakes, may Allah forgive," Suharto's eldest daughter, Siti Hadijanti Rukmana, also known as Tutut, said at the funeral.

"To ladies and gentlemen, if father has made any mistakes, please forgive him. Farewell father," she said, tears running down her face.

INTO THE GRAVE

Suharto's coffin was lowered into his grave, next to that of his wife, who died in 1996, and one salvo was fired at the funeral ceremony.

It was led by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and attended by senior leaders and diplomats including Singapore Deputy Prime Minister S. Jayakumar and the U.S. ambassador.

Mahathir Mohamad, the 82-year-old former prime minister of Malaysia whose time in office overlapped Suharto's, also attended the funeral.

"I on behalf of the nation and the Indonesian military, surrender the body and soul of Haji Muhammad Suharto to the soil of the motherland," said Yudhoyono.

Tens of thousands of people, many with handheld TV cameras and cellphone cameras in their hands, turned out to see the funeral procession. Some waved as the hearse went by, others threw flowers.

"We feel a great loss because he has brought progress to this nation. In terms of his wrongdoings, well, every human makes mistakes," said Sukiman, who came with his wife to see the funeral.

At the family mausoleum, police and soldiers lined the streets, and flags flew at half-mast.