DATE=2/2/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=INDONESIA / WIRANTO (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-258727
BYLINE=PATRICIA NUNAN
DATELINE=JAKARTA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Indonesia's former Armed Forces chief,
General Wiranto, has not resigned his cabinet
post, despite a call Tuesday by Indonesian
President Abdurrahman Wahid that he do so.
Patricia Nunan reports from Jakarta, the
Indonesian cabinet met Wednesday, but the issue
was not resolved.
TEXT General Wiranto declined to speak to
reporters as he passed them on the way in and out
of a cabinet meeting. But other cabinet ministers
leaving meeting at the presidential palace said
the issue of the general's possible resignation
was not discussed at the session, chaired by
Indonesian Vice President Megawati Sukarnoputri.
It was General Wiranto's first appearance since
Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid, who is
traveling in Europe, told reporters that he would
instruct the Defense Minister to ask the general
to resign. General Wiranto, who is currently
security minister in the Indonesian cabinet, is
one of six top generals named in an official
investigation, as responsible for last
September's bloodshed in East Timor.
General Wiranto Tuesday defended himself against
the human rights report, saying it ignored all
the positive steps he took to ensure security in
the territory.
Indonesia's Attorney General Marzuki Darusman,
who will conduct an investigation based on the
report, says General Wiranto does not need to
resign for the next phase of the East Timor probe
to proceed. Mr. Darusman says the investigation
has a three month deadline, which can be extended
by an additional three months.
One cabinet official told reporters Wednesday
that General Wiranto has privately asked cabinet
members to draw a distinction between his present
role in the cabinet, and the previous position
for which he is under investigation.
Another official, Indonesia's Coordinating
Minister for Human Rights, Hazballah Saad, says
it is only fair that General Wiranto should be
allowed to meet with the president before he
makes a decision whether to step down.
/// ACT HAZBALLAH SAAD ///
I think Pak Wiranto wants to meet directly with
the president in order to meet directly about the
instruction.
/// END ACT ///
The report released Monday by Indonesia's
National Commission on Human Rights in East Timor
says that as both the head of the Armed Forces
and Minister of Defense at the time, General
Wiranto should bear the responsibility for the
actions of the military in East Timor.
Indonesian troops are accused of supporting and
in some cases participating in violence by armed
militia groups, in the days surrounding the
territory's independence vote. Hundreds of people
were killed in the rampage and hundreds of
thousands were forced into refugee camps. Much of
East Timor was left in ruins.
Indonesia's Armed Forces spokesman says the
military fully supports the efforts of
Indonesia's human rights commission. However he
accused the commission of becoming too political,
with its demands for military reform.
NEB/PN/FC
02-Feb-2000 04:46 AM EDT (02-Feb-2000 0946 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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