Prabowo Subianto, Indonesia

Prabowo Subianto was one of Indonesia’s most reviled men. The son-in-law of former Indonesian president General Suharto, Prabowo has been accused of kidnapping, human rights abuses, and an attempted coup.

Today the retired army general is the leading presidential candidate in Indonesia’s 2014 elections.

In just over a decade, Prabowo has transformed from one of the most despised men in Indonesia to one of the most celebrated.

And it seems he doesn’t like it when he is reminded of his past… as Rebecca Henschke did at a meeting with foreign journalists.

Q. Human rights organizations here in Indonesia have said that if you are elected it will be a major step back in terms of solving past human rights abuses of the past and in the future. They say how do expected someone to hold human rights if that person is an alleged abusers? How do you respond to those allegations?

“I knew that question would come (laughing). I have answered this question many times. Actually I ask you to refer to the YouTube.”

[SILENCE]

“But I will address this question. “ 

“We have elected for a democratic system. Let the Indonesian people decide. Do you come to us and tell us that 250 million people are all stupid?”

“I have been campaigning before many Indonesian audiences for 15 years this is my third general election. Let the Indonesian people decide. Let them scrutinize the past, let them decide who will be their elected leaders.  Accusations are part of the political game. Defamation of character you know. So every time my polls go up these kind of accusations rise. And you know….. let’s be committed to democracy and lets address the real fundamentals of the Indonesian problem.”

When Suharto’s 32-year reign came to an end in a frenzy of national protest and riots in 1998, members of the Indonesian Special Forces unit that Prabowo commanded were accused of kidnapping democracy advocates and ordering the rape of ethnic Chinese women.

Due to these allegations he was dismissed from the army and shunned by the Jakarta elite

He began living in self-exile in Jordan.

He has also been accused of human rights abuses in East Timor and as a result has been barred from entering the United States.

Prabowo was never charged with any wrongdoing.

He claims that he wasn’t involved with any human rights abuses and that political rivals have spread rumors about him.

“Human rights are very important. I am very committed to human rights. There are certain groups who have demonized me who have stigmatized me. I am at peace myself. I am proud of my effort. I am a strong Indonesian patriot. I will defend Indonesia’s national interest. I have put my life at stake for the honor and independence of my country.”

“So…. What do you call it … I am confident that the Indonesian people will decide. I will respect that decision if it’s free and fair.”

Q. And on the Munir case Pak?

“What about the Munir case?”  [SILENCE]

“What are you implying? Are you implying that was involved in Munir’s case?”

Munir Said Thalib was Indonesia’s prominent human rights activist.

He was poisoned in 2004 on a flight from Jakarta to Amsterdam.

Munir was a vocal critic against Prabowo and his campaigning lead to Prabowo being dismissed from the military for the kidnapping of student protestors by his officers.

The masterminds behind Munir’s murder have never been brought to justice.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has called the case “a test for the nation”.

I ask Prabowo how he will deal the case if he is elected.

“Well we have legal courts. We have legal courts.  We have legal arrrh institutions.  We have to improve the legal institutions. We have NGOS. Let the process be carried out.”