Wiranto says rights abuse allegations a ploy to discredit presidential bid

[struggle4progress]

Indonesia's former military chief, indicted on war crime charges in East Timor, told supporters Sunday that the allegations had been fabricated to discredit his bid for the presidency in next month's election.

Gen. Wiranto, presidential nominee of the Golkar Party, has struggled to attract support, in part because he was indicted by U.N.-backed prosecutors in East Timor for rights abuses committed by Indonesian troops in 1999, when he was the nation's military commander.

Indonesia will hold its first-ever direct presidential election on July 5. Previously, lawmakers chose the head of state.
<snip>

Wiranto, who like many Indonesians uses only one name, is also fighting off criticism of his alleged role in army-led attacks on student protesters following former Indonesian dictator Suharto's ouster in 1998.
<snip>

http://www.utusan.com.my/utusan/content.asp?y=2004&dt=0614&pub=Utusan_Express&sec=World&pg=wo_06.htm


So Boy George isn't the only presidential candidate accused of war crimes ...

[acmavm]

1. These two guys should just cry on each other's shoulders and let the

rest of us try to repair the damage they've done.

Maybe we don't have the only 'leaders' who should be on trial in the Hague, but ours should be the first on the docket.

[punpirate]

2. Maybe Wiranto and Bush can share lawyers.... n/t