Wiranto clear of rights abuses: Solahuddin

Wiranto clear of rights abuses: Solahuddin

Abdul Khalik, Jakarta

Vice presidential candidate Solahuddin Wahid defended his running
mate Wiranto on Wednesday, saying the National Commission on
Human Rights (Komnas HAM) had no proof the retired Army general
had committed any human rights violations.

Speaking after a discussion with the Association of Indonesian
Muslim Intellectuals (ICMI), Solahuddin, a former member of
Komnas HAM, said he had handed over all the evidence he had
gathered as a commission member on the May 1998 riots to the
House of Representatives and the Attorney General's Office.

"It is now up to them to decide. But from all the evidence the
commission has gathered, Wiranto is innocent of gross human
rights violations," said Solahuddin.

As a deputy chairman of Komnas HAM in 2002, Solahuddin led a
team investigating the May 1998 riots, which took place while
Wiranto was Indonesian Military (TNI) chief and the minister of
defense. Hundreds of people were killed and scores of women,
mostly Chinese-Indonesian, were allegedly raped during the riots.

Solahuddin's team attempted to subpoena several key military
officers, including Wiranto, but the officers ignored the
summons.

Komnas HAM presented a 16-page report on the riots to then
attorney general Marzuki Darusman on Jan. 31, 2000. The report
urged that Wiranto, along with 33 other high-ranking officers, be
investigated for the failure of the TNI chief to ensure security.
However, a list of suspects later released by the Attorney
General's Office did not include Wiranto.

A joint fact-finding team announced on Nov. 3, 1998, that
individuals within the armed forces took an active role in
inciting the May riots. The team also confirmed the occurrence of
rape and sexual assault during the violence.

In a related development, a United Nations-sponsored East
Timor tribunal recently issued an arrest warrant for Wiranto for
alleged crimes against humanity before and after a referendum in
the former Indonesian province.

Wiranto was the TNI commander when the violence erupted in
East Timor in 1999. About 1,400 people were killed during the
violence.

Solahuddin, who was also a deputy chairman of the 40-million
strong Nahdlatul Ulama before resigning recently, said Indonesia
had to resolve its own problems and should not be dictated to by
foreign countries.

"We must not follow certain groups that are being directed by
foreign interests. These people have no sense of nationality,"
said Solahuddin, who is also a deputy chairman of the Association
of Indonesian Muslim Intellectuals.