Atmi Pertiwi, Jakarta – US investigative journalist Allen Nairn has spoken out about Indonesia’s two presidential candidates. Although he has a negative opinion of presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto, his views about presidential candidate Joko “Jokowi” Widodo are not necessarily positive either.
“Jokowi is surrounded by killers, Wiranto and Hendro. But Prabowo himself is a killer”, he said during a visit to the Tempo offices on Wednesday July 2. According to Nairn, if Jokowi wins there is no guarantee that human rights will be upheld in Indonesia. “The situation is open. Many things could happen if Jokowi wins, it could be worse or it could be better”.
However ceratin that if Prabowo is election, there will be a gloomy outlook for human rights. “With Prabowo that’s impossible. Little chance”.
Both Jokowi and Prabowo are backed by retired TNI (Indonesian military) officers. Among Jokowi’s ranks are people like Abdullah Mahmud Hendropriyono, the State Intelligence Agency (BIN) chief in 2001-2004. Hendro[priyono] is close to the chairperson of the party backing Jokowi, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), Megawati Sukarnoputri. Wiranto meanwhile, the TNI commander in 1998-1999 is backing Jokowi through his party the People’s Conscience Party (Hanura).
Hendropriyono is considered to be the mastermind behind the murder of renowned human rights activist Munir in 2004 and the Lampung massacre in 1989. Wiranto meanwhile has been accused of being responsible for the Santa Cruz massacre in Dili, East Timor in 1991 and violations of human rights during the 1998 reformasi protests.
With regard to Nairn’s statement that he once interviewed Prabowo, Greater Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra) deputy chairperson Fadli Zon says he has never met Nairn.
The member of the Prabowo Subianto-Hatta Rajasa campaign team is not convinced of the reports posted by Nairn on is blog. “We don’t know if what was written in the interview is true or not. I think they’re untrue”, said Zon when contacted on Friday June 27.
[Translated by James Balowski for the Indoleft News Service.]
