Titiek Puspa has a story about all of this. On 14 May 1998, the wellknown singer was watching the TV news showing mobs in action. It was a picture that deeply shocked her. The now 65-year-old grandmother immediately collapsed. Her entire body seemed paralyzed and for two weeks, all she could do was lie down. "I was extremely embarrassed," confessed Titiek, "Oh, Lord, how come our people have gotten so sick?"

Our nation, sick as it has been,