Clarification on Wiranto report
On April 19, The Jakarta Post published a report titled Wiranto rights trial unlikely by Wahyoe Boediwardhana. The Prosecutor General of the Democratic Republic of Timor Leste, Dr. Longuinhos Monteiro, is accredited with comments which are factually incorrect and an unfair representation of an impromptu interview given to journalists in Bali on April 18.
First, the prosecutor general did not refer to any "lack of evidence" in the case against Gen. (ret) Wiranto as being a reason for not holding a future trial of Wiranto.
Second, the prosecutor general did not comment that he hoped "the court would accept the indictment". In fact, Dr. Monteiro referred to the request for an arrest warrant which was filed at the same time as the indictment against Wiranto, six other high- level Indonesian Military commanders and the former governor of East Timor by the deputy prosecutor general for serious crimes on Feb. 24, 2003. To date, the judges at the Special Panels have taken no decision on the request to issue an arrest warrant for Wiranto.
Third, the prosecutor general did not say that prosecutors had "tried to take Wiranto to court for similar crimes" in February 2003 and January 2004 and that the indictment "was resubmitted for the third time in February this year". In fact, at no time since Gen. (ret) Wiranto was indicted on Feb. 24, 2003, for crimes against humanity committed in Timor Leste in 1999 has the indictment against Wiranto been withdrawn or resubmitted by the deputy prosecutor general for serious crimes.
To clarify, the prosecutor general had referred to two submissions to the Special Panels by the deputy prosecutor general for serious crimes. On Jan. 28, 2004, a motion was filed requesting a public hearing regarding the application for an arrest warrant for Wiranto.
The motion was subsequently denied by an international judge at the Special Panels in a decision explaining the need for "judicial time and patience". On March 19, 2004, the deputy prosecutor general submitted a brief in support of the application for an arrest warrant for Wiranto to the Special Panels, summarizing the voluminous evidence that has been filed in support of the charges.
Accordingly, it is expected that a decision will be issued by the Special Panels in the near future on the matter of the arrest warrant for Wiranto.
Finally, Boediwardhana wrote: "The judges threw both indictments out, claiming that the prosecutors had failed to present sufficient evidence to support the serious accusations." This statement is completely incorrect and misleading as the indictment has never been dismissed by the judges of the Special Panels.
The prosecutor general and the deputy prosecutor general for serious crimes believe that the evidence provided to the court in the case against Wiranto proves beyond doubt that, as the former minister of defense and security and commander of the Indonesian Military, he failed in his responsibilities as the ultimate commander of all Army and police forces in East Timor in 1999 to prevent the commission of crimes against humanity and also failed to punish the perpetrators.
The indictment against Wiranto and others filed with the Special Panel for Serious Crimes on Feb. 24, 2003, remains pending, as do all charges against the accused.
DR. LONGUINHOS MONTEIRO
Prosecutor General of Timor Leste
Dili, Timor Leste
Note: The story was based on a press conference given by Dr. Longuinhos Monteiro in which our reporter and other journalists in attendance asked for his comments on the prospects for Wiranto going to trial.
--Editor