Jakarta – Indonesia's former military chief Gen. Wiranto, who is accused of war crimes in East Timor, has been nominated by a small nationalist youth group as a candidate in the country's first direct presidential elections next year.
The group – the Red and White Youth Guard – nominated Wiranto as a candidate for Golkar, Indonesia's second largest party and the political vehicle of former dictator Gen. Suharto, who was ousted after 32 years in power amid riots and pro-democracy protests in 1998.
Wiranto could not be reached for comment, though in the past he has said he was willing to run for president. Because of his controversial background, Golkar may well decide to reject a Wiranto candidacy, analysts say.
Still, the early appearance of Wiranto, a onetime Suharto protege, shows the influence the old regime still wields in the runup to the polls, seen as a vital test of the country's fledgling democracy.
Wiranto enjoys considerable popularity among Indonesia's 210 million people, many of whom are either unaware or unconcerned about allegations about his human rights record.
Golkar Party officials, contacted Wednesday, confirmed they had received the Youth Guard's nomination of the 56-year-old former military chief on Tuesday.
Under Golkar party rules, prospective candidates have to be nominated by at least 500 people or a "legally recognized organization" to be eligible to run. It was not immediately clear if the Youth Guard nomination would meet that standard. Golkar will hold a congress in February to decide on its candidate.
Wiranto was armed forces chief when Indonesian troops and their militia proxies went on the rampage in East Timor after it voted to break free from Indonesian rule in 1999. At least 1,500 people were killed. In February, East Timorese prosecutors indicted Wiranto for war crimes over the killings. An earlier UN inquiry also named him as a suspect in the bloodshed.
Golkar says the accusations have not been proven, and he is eligible to run for the nation's top job. "We are trying to be as open as possible," said Golkar official Rully Chairul Azwar.