Wiranto and Timor Leste<\/p>\n
In the commentary Wiranto must face the storm by Pitan Daslani
\n(The Jakarta Post, April, 26) there appears a truly astonishing
\nparagraph, "Everybody put the blame on Wiranto as well as the
\nIndonesian Military (TNI) and the police, despite their self-
\nsacrificing devotion to the conception of the Republic of Timor
\nLeste."<\/p>\n
Self-sacrificing devotion? Pardon me? They were devoted to
\nbringing to the new state into being? This flies in the face of
\nall the evidence. It is an insult to the intelligence.<\/p>\n
I suggest Pitan just sits down and coolly examines the record,
\nwhich will show that Wiranto and TNI were instrumental in the
\ncreation and sustenance of the murderous pro-Jakarta militias
\nsuch as attacks led by the self-proclaimed nationalist hero
\nEurico Gutteres and these militias were abetted throughout by the
\nIndonesian Military, in particular units such as Battalions 744
\nand 745.<\/p>\n
Command responsibility rested with Wiranto as the head of the
\nArmed Forces at the time, as any international court would
\nreadily prove. I suggest that Pitan goes back and looks at some
\nof the news footage of the time and sees for himself how
\nIndonesian soldiers and police simply stood by and let the
\nmilitias burn, loot and kill.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian security forces were wholly responsible for
\nthis situation. East Timor was, after all, under martial law at
\nthe time!<\/p>\n
What Wiranto's book says I do not know but I can readily
\nguess. It will be the usual gruel of obfuscation and plausible
\ndenial, the workings of a very dishonest mind.<\/p>\n
DAVID JARDINE
\nJakarta<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/wiranto-and-timor-leste-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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