(1 Feb 2000) English/Nat
General Wiranto, Indonesia's powerful security minister, ignored calls for his resignation Tuesday and criticised a government report that blamed him and other top officers for last year's campaign of violence in East Timor.
Wiranto refused to say if he would quit as requested by President Abdurrahman Wahid and other top political leaders.
Instead he vowed to "continue to fight for the truth."
Wiranto commanded the armed forces during a rampage by Indonesian troops and their militia allies that followed a U-N-organised referendum on August 30, during which the people of East Timor voted overwhelmingly to separate from Indonesia.
He now holds the post of political affairs and security minister in Wahid's Cabinet.
Human rights activists have long blamed the Indonesian military, along with anti-independence militias, for the
campaign of murder and destruction in East Timor that killed at least 250 people.
But on Monday, separate reports by a U-N commission and Indonesia's state-appointed commission gave official weight to the charges, accusing Wiranto and 32 other military officers of crimes against humanity.
Tuesday's newspapers in Indonesia were full of the news of the commission's findings and of Wahid's declaration in Davos, Switzerland that he would demand Wiranto's resignation on his return to Jakarta in two weeks.
Wiranto noted that he had not yet read the Indonesian report, saying all he knew about it was what he had read in
the newspapers.
But he said it was obvious that the investigative commission that compiled the document had not taken into
account his efforts prior to the August 30 ballot to secure peace in the province, noting that the referendum itself
had been carried out peacefully.
Before facing the press over the raft of allegations, it was business as usual for the security minister as he headed up a meeting of senior military and police officials.
General Widodo, his successor at the head of the armed forces was also present at the meeting.
He has yet to comment on the allegations against Wiranto and the 32 other officers implicated by the commission.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"There are a few things I do not like, that I do not agree with. Number one, KPP Ham (the human rights commission) has accused me and other individuals, TNI, publicly. They should have only gathered information, analysed that information and decided if human rights (were) violated. Secondly, all the information from the military and other witnesses. KPP Ham has not paid attention and thirdly, all that I did so that East Timor could hold the ballot was not mentioned."
SUPER CAPTION: General Wiranto, Minister for Political Affairs and Security and former army chief
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"We support the balloting carried out successfully and also we declared martial law to prevent human rights abuses continuing in East Timor after UNAMET announced the result of the ballot. KPP Ham doesn't care about this positive activity at all. This positive activity I did in the past. They don't care about that. I'm very sorry. Because of this thing I will continue to fight for the truth."
SUPER CAPTION: General Wiranto, Minister for Political Affairs and Security and former army chief
Find out more about AP Archive: [ Ссылка ]
Twitter: [ Ссылка ]
Facebook: [ Ссылка ]
Instagram: [ Ссылка ]
You can license this story through AP Archive: [ Ссылка ]
