February 26, 2003, Wednesday

Indonesian politicians react to UN move to indict senior military

Detikcom web site, Jakarta, in Indonesian 26 Feb 03

The regularly updating online Jakarta based news portal in Indonesian detikcom carried three items with three different Indonesian figures giving their reactions to the Associated Press report that Gen (Ret'd) Wiranto, six other senior military officers and the former governor Abilio Soares had been indicted by the United Nations on human rights abuse charges in East Timor in 1999. Their comments were as follows:

Amien Rais:

According to MPR People's Consultative Assembly speaker Amien Rais, the United Nations move to take former Military Commander Gen Wiranto, six other senior TNI Indonesian Armed Forces officers, including Maj-Gen Zakar Anwar Makarim, plus the then Governor Zakar Anwar Makarim, to court had affronted national sovereignty. "I heard that the UN secretary-general has issued a sort of instruction to have Wiranto, Zacky Anwar Makarim, the former governor of East Timor and several others to a military court. The UN, apart from being unreasonable, are insulting the sovereignty and the nation of the Indonesia," said Amien.

Hasan Wirayudha:

Indonesian Foreign Minister Hasan Wirayudha, who is in Malaysia attending the non-aligned summit, also condemned the move. "Who gave the United Nations a mandate to indict an Indonesian citizen? On what grounds? On what authority?" said Wirayuda. "He is a free man... ellipsis as received why take this action?" Wirayudha asked Associated Press.

DPR People's Representative Council Commission I co-chairman Amris Hasan said that it was too early to react to the charges made against Wiranto and the others. He said that Indonesia did not need to be in too much of a hurry to take a stance and overreact with regard to the UN indictments. "We must always cooperate with the United Nations no matter the consequences and even if it is a bitter pill to swallow. However, I repeat, in this case we do not need to dwell on it more than necessary," he stressed. "Let's look at it first. It's not a resolution is it? The UN have not officially asked if they can investigate the case yet. Just hold your horses," said Amris Hasan.

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