DATE=2/13/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=WIRANTO (L)
NUMBER=2-259104
BYLINE=GARY THOMAS
DATELINE=JAKARTA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Indonesia's embattled security minister and
former armed forces chief has managed to temporarily
hang on to his job. After a two-week long distance
confrontation, General Wiranto and President
Abdurrahman Wahid struck a deal Sunday. As VOA
Correspondent Gary Thomas reports from Jakarta, the
deal only puts the collision between the two men on
hold.
TEXT: At a marathon meeting Sunday morning, President
Wahid backed down from his demand that General Wiranto
immediately resign from the Cabinet. Following the
lengthy discussion, a spokesman said General Wiranto
will stay on as security minister pending a further
investigation into human rights abuses in East Timor.
President Wahid had returned from his 16-day foreign
trip early Sunday, during which he had repeatedly said
General Wiranto must resign after he was implicated in
human rights abuses in East Timor. General Wiranto was
cited in a special human rights commission report for
allegedly failing to halt the violence by pro-Jakarta
militias after East Timor's vote for independence in
August.
Even as recently as Saturday, President Wahid said in
Bangkok that General Wiranto would resign.
But General Wiranto doggedly refused to step down,
saying that to do so was tantamount to an admission of
guilt. The impasse raised fears of a possible coup by
military officers loyal to their former boss and shook
financial markets.
President Wahid called General Wiranto, as well as
Vice-President Megawati Sukarnoputri and Attorney
General Marzuki Darusman, to the presidential palace
to discuss the matter.
The confrontation could flare up again if the
government decides to charge General Wiranto. Speaking
briefly after the meeting, President Wahid insisted he
was not changing his mind about General Wiranto's
resignation, and that he is keeping his options open.
// Wahid act //
I have the prerogative after he is inspected by law.
Then I will exercise my prerogative.
// end act //
Under terms of the Sunday agreement, General Wiranto
will remain in his cabinet post while Attorney General
Darusman carries out a further investigation to
determine if charges should be brought against him.
No deadline has been set for the attorney general's
investigation.
However, the mercurial president - who has earned a
reputation for impulsive statements - has previously
said he would pardon General Wiranto if he were found
guilty.
32 other officers are also cited in the Indonesian
government commission report for either condoning or
taking part in human rights abuses in East Timor.
Similar conclusions were reached in a United Nations
report, but names were not mentioned. (signed)
Neb/gpt/plm
13-Feb-2000 05:55 AM EDT (13-Feb-2000 1055 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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