About Wiranto
Wiranto (born 4 April 1947) is an Indonesian politician and retired army general, who was the chairman of the Presidential Advisory Council, from December 2019 to October 2024. 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 Suharto 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. The security forces of Indonesia also perpetrated the Biak massacre in July 1998, when Wiranto was the Minister of Defense of Indonesia. In 1993, Wiranto became Chief of Staff in the Jakarta regional military command (Komando Daerah Militer for Jakarta, or KODAM Jaya) and became commander of KODAM Jaya in 1994.
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