On Aug 17, 1995, two million people packed into Jakarta's Merdeka Square to see a spectacular fireworks display to mark Indonesia's 50th birthday - an extravaganza sponsored by the French government.

At home a few kilometres south, strongman Suharto must have relished his position at that juncture. Firmly in the saddle after nearly 30 years in office, he had succeeded in crushing political opponents and staying in command. And the economy was growing a robust 7 per cent a year.