Solahuddin's nomination no problem: Komnas chief
Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta
The chairman of the national rights body played down fears here on the fate of investigations into human rights violations in the event of one its executives becoming a vice presidential candidate.
Abdul Hakim Garuda Nusantara of the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) was responding Friday to questions and protests over the possible naming of Solahuddin Wahid, a deputy chairman of the body, as running mate to Gen. (ret) Wiranto, the Golkar Party's presidential candidate.
However Solahuddin would have to step down if officially declared a candidate, he said.
Solahuddin led the Komnas HAM team that investigated the May 1998 riots during which Wiranto led the Indonesian Military (TNI). He was also minister of defense at the time.
"We have finished our work on the cases and submitted it to the Attorney General's Office," Abdul Hakim said.
"We will not change our stance in the East Timor, May riots or Trisakti cases, in which several state officials such as Wiranto have been accused of being responsible. It has nothing to do with Solahuddin," he asserted.
Wiranto was still TNI commander when violence and the scorched-earth policy erupted in East Timor following a referendum in which most voted to separate from Indonesia. The fatal shooting of four Trisakti students on May 12, 1998 in Jakarta is also among unresolved cases.
"We urge the Attorney General's Office to bring the cases to court soon. Regarding Pak Solah's decision (to pair with Wiranto), let the people decide," he commented.
A commission member who request anonymity said some members worried that the potential pairing of Solahuddin with Golkar presidential candidate Wiranto could be bad for Komnas HAM's image.
Solahuddin, also deputy chairman of the 40-million-strong Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), has been requested by the Golkar Party to run with Wiranto in the July presidential election.
Golkar approached Solahuddin after its preferred candidate, NU chairman Hasyim Muzadi, turned down Golkar's offer and instead agreed to be the running mate of the leader of the Indonesia Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), President Megawati Soekarnoputri.
A number of groups have urged Solahuddin not to pair with Wiranto, fearing that Golkar would only exploit the cleric's position in the rights body. Some staged protests outside the commission's office in Central Jakarta.
Solahuddin has acknowledged that he has received many questions and protests over his possible pairing with Wiranto. He said that he had yet to decide whether to accept Golkar's offer, pending a decision from the National Awakening Party (PKB).
His brother, former president Abdurrahman Wahid, the presidential aspirant from the PKB, will likely have to drop out of the presidential race due to his impaired vision. The Constitutional Court rejected a request from the PKB to annul a rule of the General Elections Commission (KPU) on health requirements for presidential and vice presidential candidates.