A cry for justice<\/p>\n
Now that the government-sponsored Inquiry into Human Rights
\nViolations in East Timor, or KPP HAM as it is known by its
\nIndonesian acronym, has announced its findings, the Attorney
\nGeneral's office must quickly act on its recommendations. It must
\nnot waste time in investigating and prosecuting those whose names
\nappear in KPP HAM's report for their alleged roles in the tragic
\nviolence that erupted in East Timor around the time of the Aug.
\n30 self-determination ballot. Justice must be upheld, and it must
\nbe upheld swiftly. Anyone whose rights have been abused will
\ntestify that delayed justice is no justice at all.<\/p>\n
The inquiry itself has been bogged down by a controversy that
\nforced its members to extend their work beyond the original Dec.
\n31 deadline. Many of those interviewed, particularly some of the
\nIndonesian Military (TNI) generals, have deployed a formidable
\nteams of lawyers to challenge every move KPP HAM made. They have
\neven tried to destroy the credibility of KPP HAM and its members.
\nNow the inquiry has completed its work and publicized its report,
\nand, bracing criticisms and pressure, it has taken the courage of
\nnaming those whom it says should be interrogated and prosecuted
\nby the Attorney General's office. One name that stands out is
\nthat of Gen. Wiranto, the coordinating minister of political
\naffairs and security who was TNI chief at the time.<\/p>\n
The KPP HAM report is bound to generate more controversy, but
\nthis should not detract Attorney General Marzuki Darusman from
\nswiftly acting on the recommendations. Far too often, the quest
\nfor justice in this country has met a dead end because of endless
\ndebate over legal technicalities, and, particularly, because of
\npolitical pressures. Too many past rights abuses, not only in
\nEast Timor, but also in Aceh, Maluku, Irian Jaya and even in
\nJakarta, have gone unpunished. The government has not even been
\nable to prosecute anyone for any of the rampant corruption
\ncommitted by the old Soeharto regime, when the evidence is
\nstaring us in the face.<\/p>\n
Is the KPP HAM report going to meet the same fate? Probably,
\nbut if the government fails to carry out a legal process that
\nmeets the international standard, Indonesia could well be forced
\nto send its generals to an international tribunal, as is sought
\nby a separate United Nations inquiry. The UN team's report, also
\npresented on Monday to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, found
\nevidence suggesting the involvement of TNI personnel in the
\nmayhem.<\/p>\n
There is no doubt that pro-Indonesia militias in East Timor
\nwere responsible for the campaign of terror and destruction after
\nthe Aug. 30 ballot that saw an overwhelming number of East
\nTimorese voting for independence. It is not clear, however, if
\nand how far TNI was involved in the campaign that saw the exodus
\nof almost the entire East Timorese population, and the virtual
\ntotal destruction of towns and property. What is clear is that
\nthe mayhem occurred while the territory was officially under the
\nresponsibility of the Indonesian government, in this case, the
\nTNI, which was supervising the security arrangements in East
\nTimor. Many of the unanswered questions concerning this massive
\nhuman tragedy, will, hopefully, be answered in the ensuing
\ntrials.<\/p>\n
The question of whether the trials are held in an Indonesian
\ncourt or an international tribunal is secondary. The primary goal
\nof these processes, both the KPP HAM and the UN inquiry, is to
\nuphold justice. It matters little where these cases are heard, as
\nlong at the legal process is fair and credible.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, Indonesia's legal system has a poor track
\nrecord when it comes to dealing with human rights abuses. The
\nnumber of unresolved cases of rights violations in this country
\nmakes us wonder whether the government and the legal system has
\nthe ability and capacity to provide justice.<\/p>\n
Nevertheless, since the KPP HAM has started the process, it
\nmust now be continued until its completion. While the
\ninternational community appears to have given the benefit of the
\ndoubt, the threat of an international tribunal must be seen as
\nwelcome pressure to ensure that the legal process is pursued in a
\nmanner that is not only credible, but also swift. The ball is
\nvery much in Attorney General Marzuki Darusman's court to see to
\nit that justice is upheld, and upheld quickly. The nation, the
\nEast Timorese and the rest of the world expect no less from the
\ngovernment of President Abdurrahman Wahid.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/a-cry-for-justice-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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