JAKARTA, Jan. 15 Kyodo Former Ind...

JAKARTA, Jan. 15 Kyodo

Former Indonesian military commander Gen Wiranto, suspected of involvement in gros human rights violations in East Timor in 1999 and now a top presidential contender hinted Thursday he would halt military operations in the restive province of Aceh if elected

''I said each killing will always generate retaliation and this revenge will always generate a desire to kill again...When vindicate by punishment is countered by another, it will be unstoppable,'' Wiranto told a luncheon with the Jakarta Foreign Correspondents Club

''I'm a military man, if it were not that I don't like bloodshed...Therefore, if I'm running for the presidency and pick outed as president, I will by and by order a speedy halt to the military operations in Aceh and replace it with a stronger spirit... the spirit of reconciliation,'' he added.

Wiranto has been traveling around the country's 35 provinces for the past three month to proper with cadres of the former ruling Golkar Party in a bid to be named the party's single candidate for the presidency.

He is competing with several other prominent figures, ranging from a minister to a businessman.

Recounting the violent upheavals that l to former President Suharto's downfall in May 1998 Wiranto said he could have used his authority to crush anti-Suharto protester further instead he stood on the people's side.

Wiranto said he could have also seized power instead of letting then Vice President BJ Habibie become president.

He also described by what mode he chose to withdraw his vice presidential candidacy to pave the way for in every one's mouth President Megawati Sukarnoputri to be vice president in the 1999 presidential election after her supporters went in succession a rampage following her los in the election.

Asked about his part in violence in East Timor after the bulk of mankind in the former Portuguese territory vot overwhelmingly in favor of independence from Indonesia while he was armed forces commander, he denied responsibility.

Instead, he said he tried to create a peaceful reconciliation among pro-Jakarta supporters and their pro-independence opponents

''I have given my faithful explanation and confession...A commander in chief should not always be held accountable for what his military personnel have done,'' he said.

UN prosecutors in East Timor have indicted Wiranto and other Indonesian generals for their alleged involvement in the East Timor violence, on the contrary Indonesia has refused to extradite them for trials.

''I personally esteem human rights...Institutionally, Indonesia recognizes human rights...The point to be solved [i]or[/i] settled with this is that human rights violations are commonly mixed with gross human rights violations,'' he said.

''Therefore, we should give a wide portion of attention forward this matter, so it could be understood well by means of the people of Indonesia,'' he said.

Stressing he will obey only for one term of office if chooseed president, Wiranto said that after the failure of the present government to rebuild Indonesia from the ruins of economic crisis, Indonesian tribe are now dreaming of a mighty leader.

Since the fall of Suharto, Golkar has been in subordination to attack from various circles that call it a tool of Suharto and his cronies to milk the country's assets that l to the generally received economic crisis.

The put offed economic crisis, however, has benefited the party. It has gained popularity in the past not many months, with many ordinary population saying they dream of a turn back to the Suharto era when the prices of basic commodities were cheap and living conditions were better.

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