The young members of the People's Democratic Party studied for external university degrees and held seminars

The young members of the People's Democratic Party studied for external university degrees and held seminars. In the 1999 general election, Budiman Sudjatmiko directed his (unsuccessful) campaign from prison. Inmates are not allowed to vote, but they can stand for office.Smuggling messages in and out was simple, despite official censoring of mail Visitors frequently brought mobile phones to prisoners. Xanana Gusmao, sentenced for insurrection, continued directing the war against Indonesian occupation from his comfy cell, directing his field commanders in the Timorese jungle by satellite phone.He was released to house arrest in a "branch" of Cipinang, a bungalow nearby. Here he had a constant stream of diplomats, journalists, and friends, who got in with home-made ID cards, typed and plastic-laminated.Mr Gusmao was released in February last year. The last of the other political prisoners were given amnesty in December.

Now Cipinang holds a higher proportion of people who deserve to be there.But the Suharto tentacles are long. Last week, a murderer named Agiono, unofficial "boss" of Cipinang, said: "If someone disturbs Tommy, if there is someone who offends him, then I'll hit them." If Tommy ever arrives.. As you go about your business keep an eye out for a stranger. He is 38, plump-faced, moustachioed and frequently has an air of infuriating smugness He likes flash cars, gambling and night clubs. As you go about your business keep an eye out for a stranger.

He is 38, plump-faced, moustachioed and frequently has an air of infuriating smugness. He likes flash cars, gambling and night clubs. If you see him call Interpol. You may well be looking at Tommy Suharto, playboy, son of a dictator, and the most wanted man in Indonesia. By now he could be anywhere.For the past week, Indonesians have been absorbed by the Tommy Suharto drama, a mixture of farce, thriller and tragedy A week ago, the country was exulting. At long last, the family of the deposed dictator, Suharto, was being forced to pay for its crimes Yesterday, people were shaking their heads. After the long struggle to bring him to justice, he had slipped through the net at the last minute.Hutomo Mandala Putra, universally known as Tommy, was convicted last month of corruption, cheating the government out of $11m. His father, President Suharto, is believed to have misdirected millions, perhaps billions, of dollars of state money to his family's benefit in his 32 years in power.Since he was forced out of office in 1998, political activists and prosecutors have struggled to follow the complicated paper trail linking Mr Suharto and his children, bogus charitable foundations and foreign banks where the loot is stored.A judge ruled that the 78-year-old was too poorly to stand trial With Tommy, that was easier.