Wiranto, Indonesian general and politician
Wiranto (born 4 April 1947) is an Indonesian politician and former army general, who is serving as the chairman of the Presidential Advisory Council, since December 2019. Previously, he was the Commander of the Indonesian Armed Forces from February 1998 to October 1999 during Indonesia's transition from authoritarian rule to democracy, he ran unsuccessfully for President of Indonesia in 2004 and for the vice-presidency in 2009. On 27 July 2016 Wiranto was appointed Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs, replacing Luhut Binsar Panjaitan.Wiranto played a significant role in facilitating severe human rights violations by the Indonesian army and Jakarta-backed militias, during Indonesia's withdrawal from the occupied territory of East Timor in 1999. Both the United Nations and domestic groups have gathered evidence on this, but he continues to deny the charges. In January 2000, an Indonesian commission placed general responsibility for these injustices on Wiranto. In May 2004, the United Nations-backed Special Panels of the Dili District Court indicted Wiranto and charged him with war crimes. Wiranto claimed the move was an effort to discredit his political ambitions.Some claim that Wiranto played a key role as a moderating influence during the turbulent times of 1998 when Soeharto resigned. He had the power to impose military rule, but refused to do so, thereby allowing the civilian process to develop. Taufik Darusman labeled him a "military reformist" because Wiranto reduced the military's role in Indonesian politics. He initiated the reduction of their seats in parliament and separated the police from the military. Nonetheless, more than 2,000 East Timorese were killed in violence under his watch, as well as 500,000 forced into displacement. Other atrocities were perpetrated by the Indonesian security forces at the time Wiranto was their top commander, including the Biak massacre in July 1998.On October 10, 2019 Wiranto was stabbed with a sharp weapon by a man in Menes Square, Pandeglang, Banten. As a result, Wiranto suffered a stab wound to the front of his body. Apart from Wiranto, the attack injured the Head of the Sector Police, Menes Commissary Police Dariyanto, who was at the location. Wiranto's men were also injured in the attack. The suspect is Syahril Alamsyah alias Abu Rara, born in Medan, 24 August 1968, and a woman who is suspected to be with the perpetrator, on behalf of Fitri Andriana, born in Brebes, May 5, 1998, was arrested. The head of the Public Information Bureau of the National Police Headquarters Brigadier General Dedi Prasetyo said the two perpetrators of the attack on Wiranto were suspected of being exposed to radicalism Islamic State of Iraq and Syria and after the incident, he had to be rushed to the nearest hospital for first aid and referred to Gatot Soebroto Army Hospital, Jakarta.