Ex-General Wiranto, accused of crimes against humanity, chosen as presidential candidate
Jakarta (AsiaNews/Agencies) Former General Wiranto, accused of crimes against humanity by the UN for having led brutal violence perpetrated against protestors in East Timor, has been chosen as the presidential candidate for the Golkar party. Golkar was in power during the Suharto dictatorship and won the majority in the Apr. 5 general elections.
According to the recent accusations Wiranto was said to have known that his army had trained, armed and partly financed the militia forces that Major General Zacky Makarim, his special representative of East Timor security, had directed.
Wiranto denied the accusations, stating that his responsibilities and involvement the affair were exaggerated: "Misinformation campaigns via the mass media succeeded in creating the perception that what happened in East Timor was a brutal and evil conspiracy by TNI and pro-integration militias against the pro-independence group in the form of killing, torture, expulsion, arson and so forth."
Analysts like Kevin O'Rourke say Wiranto is connected to the Islamic Defenders Group, an organization that attacked students at a series of 1998 protests and the Indonesian Human Rights Commission which had conducted investigations on East Timor violence. O'Rourke also believes that Wiranto also likely played a major role in encouraging religious conflict in Jakarta in 1998 and in the Moluccas Islands in 1999.
Last week the 57 year-old Wiranto beat out rival candidate Akbar Tandjung, winning 315 out of 547 votes. Wiranto will compete in the upcoming July 5 presidential elections and will likely run against current President Megawati Sukarnoputr and former security minister, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, both of whom are favorites to win.
Wiranto has based his election campaign on accusations of chaos and instability during the last 5 years of democracy. At a rally Wiranto said: "Many people cry, and many others cannot afford to eat. But if the Golkar party wins, people will be happy and the country will certainly enjoy peace."
Wiranto's presumed popularity is less widespread than most think. Evidence for this is seen in Wiranto's quick willingness to "buy" votes. For example, during rallies Wiranto readily offers money, food and free T-shirts to attract voter support, which is often founded on non-political convictions.
According to Jeffrey Winters, an Indonesia export at Northwestern University in Illinois, "Looking good is a big factor in winning and everyone agrees Wiranto is handsome."
"Indonesians are looking for a hero and Wiranto epitomizes this characteristic," said Ryaas Rasyid, a political analyst and former Golkar government official.
Many Indonesians support Wiranto in the hope that there will be some sort of return to the "military" order of former times and that he will the charismatic leader to do the job.
The general population seems to be little concerned about the accusations brought against him for the genocide of hundred of persons during the May 1988 protests, which led to the Suharto regime being overthrown and birth of democracy in Indonesia.
Supoyo, a 35 year-old farmer who in 1999 voted for Megawati's Indonesian Fight Party (PDI-P), said he longs for the security and economic stability of the past, especially after having suffered through the country's out-of-control inflation over the last 5 years. "As presidential candidate, Wiranto is good, because he's a former army member. Maybe he can lead the government with a sense of duty and discipline," He said.
The former general is confident that his stern approach will lead to a return of foreign investment in Indonesia and thus improve the economy. "Business people want a guarantee for Indonesia's future - an Indonesia that is peaceful, stable and regulated, so they will able to build up business," Wiranto said. (MR)
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