Prabowo on Santa Cruz massacre, being a fascist dictator

Journalist Allan Nairn writes up his notes from a conversation with former Kopassus head Prabowo Subianto, now candidate for Indonesian president. Bahasa Indonesia version of article: "Apa saya cukup punya nyali," tanya Prabowo, "apa saya siap jika disebut 'diktator fasis'?"

Nairn writes that "Prabowo talked about fascism, democracy, army massacre policy, and his long, close relationship with the Pentagon and US intelligence."

Some excerpts:

On November 11, 1991 Santa Cruz massacre in Dili, Timor-Leste:

"Prabowo's complaint was not with the fact that the army had murdered civilians, but rather that they had done so in front of me and other witnesses who were then able to report the massacre and mobilize the outside world.

"'Santa Cruz killed us politically!,' Prabowo exclaimed. 'It was the defeat!' 

"'You don't massacre civilians in front of the world press,'" General Prabowo said. 'Maybe commanders do it in villages where no one will ever know, but not in the provincial capital'!"

On Leadership:

"He mentioned Pakistan's General Pervez Musharraf.

"Musharraf had arrested his country's civilian prime minister and imposed dictatorship. 

"Prabowo said he admired him greatly.

"Prabowo ruminated on whether he could measure up, whether he could be an Indonesian Musharraf.

"'Do I have the guts,' Prabowo asked, 'am I ready to be called a fascist dictator?'"