Doesn t the Indonesian Government have some responsibility in this?
For 32 years Suharto, a military dictator, ruled Indonesia. During his reign, a half of a million people were killed in Indonesia, as well as a quarter of a million people in East Timor. He was eventually ousted from power in 1998 due in large part to the persistent struggle and sacrifice of pro-democracy, labor, and student activists. (Visit Amnesty International – Indonesia for more information.) During his reign Suharto was infamous for creating a political and economic climate that was favorable to “big business”, particularly American companies. One of these American Companies was Nike. Because of the brutality of the Suharto regime and the “investment friendly” climate it created, companies like Nike saw a fantastic opportunity to maximize their profits, albeit at the expense of economically disadvantaged Indonesians. There are three critical factors that allow companies like Nike to maximize profit to the extent that they do: A desperate workforce. Because of Suharto s policies,
