TNI to 'secure' Wiranto's suspension

TNI to 'secure' Wiranto's suspension

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Military (TNI) avowed its support
for President Abdurrahman Wahid on Monday, pledging to "secure"
the decision to suspend former military chief Gen. Wiranto from
his cabinet post.

"TNI will completely respect the decision of the president,
and faithfully ensure and secure it's implementation," TNI Chief
Adm. Widodo A.S. said of Abdurrahman's late night turnaround to
suspend Widodo's predecessor from his post as coordinating
minister for political affairs and security.

Speaking on the sidelines of a gathering to mark the opening
of the National Awakening Party's working meeting here Monday
afternoon, Widodo expressed confidence that Wiranto would also
accept the decision.

Army Chief of Staff Gen. Tyasno Sudarto put down any
speculation of a breakaway faction loyal to their former chief,
emphasizing that "the army, airforce and navy" were committed and
loyal to upholding the president's decision.

As an institution that upholds law and order, Tyasno asserted
that the military will defend any decision which is in accordance
with the law.

"As long as the law is put in the right proportion, the
military will accept it," he said.

When asked whether the suspension of Wiranto raised the
potential for unrest, Tyasno replied: "God willing, no it will
not".

President Abdurrahman dropped a bomb-shell close to midnight
Sunday by abruptly reversing his initial decision not to suspend
Wiranto from his cabinet post.

Earlier Sunday, after meeting with Wiranto, Abdurrahman said
he would retain Wiranto in the cabinet pending a probe into his
alleged involvement in the East Timor violence.

But later, without any warning, Abdurrahman caught everyone
off guard by reverting to his earlier decision and said he would
suspend Wiranto and appoint Home Minister Surjadi Soedirdja as
interim coordinating minister for political affairs and security.

Wiranto and his lawyers were still unaware of the reversal at
9:30 p.m Sunday.

There was no clear explanation from the president as to why he
abruptly altered his decision.

What drew even more questions was the fact that Surjadi was
inducted as interim coordinating minister during an official
ceremony at the State Palace, an unusual move for an interim
position.

Apart from Surjadi, Bondan Gunawan, secretary of government
supervision, was also appointed as acting State Secretary
replacing Ali Rahman.

Suspicion

Abdurrahman did not explain his suspension of Wiranto during
his address at the swearing ceremony, saying only that it was to
insure the supremacy of the law, that investigations were not
impeded by Wiranto's ministerial capacity.

"This is merely to ensure a fair investigation," the president
remarked.

"So if he is eventually found not guilty then there will be no
doubt. I have had to make this decision because KPP Ham (the
government inquiry on East Timor) and the UN inquiry are not
pursuing normal means and thus there is always the suspicion that
both sides are siding one way or the other on Pak Wiranto," the
president said.

A government-sanctioned inquiry recently submitted a report to
the Attorney General's office recommending that Wiranto and other
senior officers and officials be investigated for responsibility
for the alleged East Timor violence.

Following the report, the president, who at the time was on a
16-day overseas tour, kept insisting that he would suspend
Wiranto.

Abdurrahman also repeatedly stressed that he had the highest
regard for Wiranto and that the public should not read too much
into his suspension.

Later, while attending a gathering held by the National
Awakening Party, Abdurrahman claimed his relationship with
Wiranto was "normal and fine".

During a media briefing at Bina Graha Presidential Office,
Wiranto refused to rebuke the president for his sudden change of
mind and kept on stressing that it was the president's
prerogative to do so.

"It's his right. There's no need to extend it much further,"
Wiranto remarked.

Instead he stressed the inquiry reported allegations against
him for responsibility for the violence but not for involvement.

Attorney General Marzuki Darusman said his office would not be
influenced by Wiranto's suspension from his cabinet post.

"Actually its really not a problem," he said.

However, he refused to reply when asked, if that was the case,
then the president's decision to suspend Wiranto on grounds of
ensuring a fair investigation was irrelevant.

No one has been able to explain the true reason why
Abdurrahman suddenly reversed his decision.

Foreign Minister Alwi Shihab conceded that there were "inputs"
to the President during Sunday afternoon and later in the evening
which eventually prompted a change in Wiranto's fortunes.

Alwi revealed that these came both "from inside and outside of
the country" however he claimed that he did not know who they
were.

The official decree, No. 29/M/2000, signed on Monday by the
President states that considerations for the decision included
"for the sake of the stability in the running of the government
and to assist Gen. Wiranto in resolving his problems outside his
official capacity".

It states that Wiranto shall be "non-active" until the end of
the Attorney General's investigation into the matter.

The defense team representing Wiranto and other senior
officers against the allegations of violence, said it could
accept the decision but questioned whether it was the best
possible compromise for all concerned.

"We see this as a presidential prerogative. But we have to
take a good look whether it was the best solution available," the
defense team's secretary, Yan Juanda Saputra said.

"If it is to facilitate the investigation by the Attorney
General's Office, I think it would not have been much of a bother
if Wiranto stayed in his post," he said.

On Ali Rahman's replacement, Abddurahman said Ali had himself
requested to resign in accordance with the original design that
the State Secretary office is not a ministerial level post.

Bondan is due to fill the post for at most six months, until
an appropriate replacement is found for the job.

Attorney General Marzuki Darusman earlier confirmed that Ali
had been investigated, but he would not reveal the objective.
Other sources, however, reveal that it was over allegations of
possible corruption. (04)