DATE=2/14/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=INDONESIA-WIRANTO (L-UPDATE)
NUMBER=2-259124
BYLINE=GARY THOMAS
DATELINE=JAKARTA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid has suspended
former armed forces chief General Wiranto from his Cabinet,
reversing a decision he had made less than 24 hours before.
The action was taken pending investigation into General
Wiranto's alleged role in human rights abuses in East
Timor. VOA Correspondent Gary Thomas reports from Jakarta
on the startling turnaround.
TEXT: Only hours after he announced General Wiranto would
stay on as Coordinating Minister for Political and Security
Affairs, President Wahid changed course and suspended the
former armed forces chief from the Cabinet.
Cabinet Secretary Marsilam Simanjuntak Monday morning said
President Wahid decided to suspend General Wiranto from his
Security Minister's post for what he termed the stability
of government and the sake of General Wiranto. General
Wiranto was suspended pending investigation into charges
that, as armed forces chief, he condoned human rights
abuses in East Timor.
Interior Minister Surjadi Soerdirdja was named as interim
Security Minister, but will also keep the Interior
portfolio.
President Wahid had been insisting that General Wiranto
resign, but the General refused to do so. On Sunday, it
was announced General Wiranto would temporarily stay in the
cabinet pending the attorney general's investigation.
Mr. Simanjuntak said the decision to suspend General
Wiranto was made Sunday night, but the decree was signed
Monday morning.
Speaking briefly Monday, President Wahid said he has not
changed his mind. He said General Wiranto will resign
after the attorney general's investigation.
Elaborating, Mr. Simanjuntak insisted there had been no
reversal by the president.
// SIMANJUNTAK ACT //
There is no reversal of decision. He (General Wiranto) is
in a non-active status now. So, practically or
theoretically, he is still a non-active member of the
Cabinet. I'm not playing with words here...
// END ACT //
After Mr. Soerdirdja was sworn in, General Wiranto said he
accepts the suspension as the president's prerogative.
Armed Forces chief General Widodo said the military is
loyal to the president and backs his decision.
Monday's developments were the latest twist in a sometimes-
bizarre long-distance confrontation between Mr. Wahid and
General Wiranto.
General Wiranto has been named in an Indonesian human
rights commission report as allegedly condoning human
rights abuses in East Timor. Pro-Jakarta militias went on
a rampage following the August vote by the East Timorese
for independence from Indonesia.
President Wahid, who was on a 16-day foreign tour,
repeatedly called on General Wiranto to resign. The general
refused to do so, sparking rumors of a possible coup and
rattling financial markets. However, senior officers did
not line up to support their former boss and urged General
Wiranto to obey the president.
Mr. Wahid's first order of business upon returning Sunday
was to meet General Wiranto, along with Attorney General
Marzuki Darusman and Vice-President Megawati Sukarnoputri.
(SIGNED)
NEB/GPT/FC
14-Feb-2000 03:48 AM EDT (14-Feb-2000 0848 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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