Mobutu Sese Seko vs Suharto

Mobutu, as army chief of staff, led a bloodless coup against President Joseph Kasa-Vubu on November 24, 1965. He suspended the constitution, assumed full executive powers, and began a 32-year dictatorship, initially as president of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Mobutu renamed the Democratic Republic of the Congo to Zaire and launched the Authenticity campaign. He forced citizens to adopt African names, banned Western clothing, and promoted traditional culture. The country's name, flag, and currency were changed to reflect African identity.

Mobutu's Zairianization policy seized foreign-owned plantations, mines, and businesses, transferring them to political allies and family members. The policy led to economic collapse, corruption, and a sharp decline in production, forcing partial reversal by 1977.

A coalition of Rwandan, Ugandan, and Congolese rebel forces led by Laurent Kabila advanced across Zaire. Mobutu, suffering from cancer, fled the capital Kinshasa on May 16, 1997. He died in exile in Morocco four months later, ending his 32-year rule.

President Sukarno signed the Supersemar order, delegating authority to General Suharto to restore order after the 30 September Movement. Suharto used this to ban the Communist Party, purge leftists, and gradually assume executive power, effectively beginning his New Order regime.

Suharto implemented the New Order's economic policies, focusing on foreign investment, agricultural self-sufficiency, and industrialization. The government achieved high growth rates, reduced poverty, and stabilized the economy, but also fostered crony capitalism and corruption.

Suharto ordered the invasion of East Timor after Portugal withdrew. Indonesian forces occupied the territory, leading to a 24-year occupation marked by widespread human rights abuses, including massacres and forced displacement, resulting in an estimated 100,000-200,000 deaths.

The Asian Financial Crisis devastated Indonesia's economy, leading to massive unemployment and food shortages. Widespread protests and riots forced Suharto to resign in May 1998 after 31 years in power, ending his authoritarian rule and ushering in the Reformasi era.