UN prosecutors urge arrest of former TNI chief Wiranto

UN prosecutors urge arrest of former TNI chief Wiranto

Agencies
Jakarta

United Nations prosecutors have urged East Timor legal
authorities to issue an international arrest warrant for former
Indonesian Military (TNI) military chief Gen. (ret) Wiranto,
saying he was responsible for war crimes committed by Indonesian
forces in the territory in 1999.

Wiranto, who is still very much in the running to become this
country's next president, possibly with the Golkar Party,
remained publicly aloof to the UN call.

"I haven't heard about it because I've been on the road all
day," Wiranto said after campaigning for Golkar Party in
Makassar, South Sulawesi. He later said that he was innocent and
would continue to participate in the presidential race.

Wiranto, who commanded TNI during East Timor's violence-
wracked secession in 1999, hopes to be the Golkar candidate in
the presidential election scheduled for July 5.

He was indicted for war crimes in February 2003 in a Dili
court, but court officials have yet to issue an international
warrant for his arrest.

Wiranto said earlier the UN prosecutor's accusations are part
of a conspiracy to undermine his presidential bid.

Indonesian authorities have also said they would not hand over
Wiranto or other officers accused of East Timor war crimes.

But if such a warrant were issued, it would mean Wiranto could
not travel to a third country without risking extradition.

Many other military and police officers and former East Timor
officials tried by the Jakarta district court for their alleged
role in the crimes were acquitted of charges.

Nicholas Koumjian, a top UN prosecutor at the Special Court
for Serious Crimes in Dili, said in a statement on Tuesday that
Wiranto should be held responsible for the 1999 bloodshed.

"The evidence we have given to the court proves that (Gen.)
Wiranto failed in his responsibilities as the ultimate commander
of all army and police forces to prevent the commission of crimes
against humanity and failed to punish the perpetrators," he said
as quoted by Associated Press.

Nearly 2,000 people died and much of the territory was
devastated by Indonesian troops and their militia proxies before
and after a UN-organized independence referendum. East Timor
declared its independence on May 20, 2002.

The Serious Crimes Unit (SCU) has been established to
investigate and prosecute those responsible for the violence.

Although East Timor gained full independence in 2002 after a
period of UN transitional rule, UN prosecutors are still
investigating the tragedy as part of the SCU that has filed
hundreds of charges against Indonesian soldiers and militia
members. Wiranto is the most senior official accused in any of
the indictments issued by the prosecutors.

"I am confident that the arrest warrant will be issued,"
Koumjian said.

Indonesian invaded East Timor in 1975, just after the former
Portuguese colony had declared independence. An estimated 150,000
people died in the subsequent war waged by proindependence rebels
against former president Soeharto's rule.