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Jakarta Post

Issue of the day: Prabowo clarifies

Dec

The Jakarta Post
Fri, January 3, 2014

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Issue of the day: Prabowo clarifies

D

ec. 27, p7

This is a response to the article entitled '€œWhatever happened in Kraras, Timor Leste, '€˜Pak'€™ Prabowo?'€ written by Aboeprijadi Santoso, which appeared in the Dec. 20 edition of The Jakarta Post.

This essay, and specific charges relating to the tragic events at Kraras, is clearly a personal attack on my military career and personal reputation, based on unproven allegations, innuendos and third-hand reports '€” none substantiated, by either the United Nations or current Timor Leste authorities.

Your comments:

No matter which side you fall on this argument, one should not make claims or without proof to back them up.

I do not know the whole story nor would I have access to the proof for either side.

My feeling is that in Indonesia with the recent history of its military, a formal military leader would not be a good choice to lead all of Indonesia.

The current one has proved that through his misguided views of what is best for the betterment of all Indonesia.

X Simaging

Hi Mr. Gen. (ret.) Prabowo, there are several flaws in your letter and I would like to point them out.

You claim that you were not in Kraras on that tragic day. If not, then where were you? Can you produce independent witnesses able to testify that you spent the entire day somewhere else (e.g. Baucau)?

You asked whether former guerrilla fighters would accept being photographed with you if you had committed atrocities in East Timor. The answer is unfortunately yes. Xanana Gusmao and other former fighters are probably embarrassed to be seen talking with an Indonesian Military (TNI) general, but they do it nevertheless for what they see as the superior interests of their country.

You ask why The Jakarta Post writes on the Kraras story just 100 days before the election. Actually it is not the first time that this story has circulated in the press.

However, it is the first time that you made the effort to write a response to the journalists.

Abdul Khalid

Good article Mr. Prabowo, I am very sure that you are the hero in East Timor.

As you said in your Facebook and Twitter posts, time will reveal who the Pandawa are (Good characters in Baratayudha epic) and who are Kurawa (bad characters)?

B. Nugroho

Pak Prabowo is right when he implies that the writer intended to cast serious doubt on him, as one of the leading candidates for the office of the president of the Republic of Indonesia has undermined and casted a shadow on his electoral campaign.

The writer might have an ulterior motive, Pak Prabowo. But as the man on the street, I do not have one. What happened in May 13th-15th1998, and where were you then, Pak Prabowo?

John

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