Col. M. Simbolon pledges to respect human rights<\/p>\n
By Yacob J. Herin<\/p>\n
DILI (JP): East Timor's new military chief, Col. M. Simbolon,
\nvowed yesterday to improve respect for human rights in the former
\nPortuguese colony.<\/p>\n
Simbolon, who assumed his post on May 27, denied accusations
\nthat the government intended to maintain the domination of the
\nlocal bureaucracy by Indonesian Armed Forces (ABRI) officers and
\nofficials from other provinces.<\/p>\n
\"ABRI is working to improve human rights conditions and law
\nenforcement in East Timor,\" he said in an interview with The
\nJakarta Post.<\/p>\n
ABRI's heavy presence in the troubled territory has been a
\nconstant target of criticism in numerous international fora,
\nwhere it has been claimed human rights violations are rampant in
\nEast Timor.<\/p>\n
Simbolon said authorities in the province, which was
\nintegrated into Indonesia in 1976, were committed to upholding
\nthe law in order to minimize violations of basic rights.<\/p>\n
He said that ABRI intended to bring three civil servants
\nbefore a court for taking part in a raid on a military post last
\nmonth in Viqueque, 200 kilometers east of here, in which a
\nsoldier was killed and another seriously wounded.<\/p>\n
\"This (legal action) is to prove that the Indonesian
\ngovernment and ABRI are law-abiding,\" Simbolon said.<\/p>\n
He denied accusations that the government discriminated
\nagainst native East Timorese in the bureaucracy.<\/p>\n
\"Look,\" he said, \"The governor is a native. Of the 13 regents
\nthroughout the province, only two are not indigenous figures.
\nWhat else. All subdistrict chiefs (camat) are natives.\"<\/p>\n
He acknowledged, however, that all the province's ministerial
\nbranch offices were headed by officials recruited from other
\nprovinces.<\/p>\n
\"Currently there are about 300 East Timorese who have college
\ndiplomas, but none of those in the bureaucracy are experienced
\nenough to head a ministerial office,\" he said. He added that
\ntheir chance to move up would come in time.<\/p>\n
The situation was similar in the case of local military posts,
\nhe said. According to Simbolon, the highest rank held by
\nindigenous officers is Second Lieutenant. District military posts
\ncannot be held by officers with a rank lower than that of Major.<\/p>\n
Prostitutes<\/p>\n
Simbolon said another of his projects was to try to move about
\n1,000 prostitutes, who are mostly from Java, out of the province.
\nThe prostitutes are employed by panderers on a contract basis.<\/p>\n
The presence of prostitutes in the predominantly Roman
\nCatholic territory has drawn protests, both from religious
\nleaders and from the general public.<\/p>\n
\"We don't want to see prostitution worsen social and health
\nproblems. I have heard that two prostitutes have tested positive
\nfor AIDS. They must be repatriated,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Statistics from the police and the social affairs office show
\nthat currently about 1,000 prostitutes operate in the province's
\n13 regencies.<\/p>\n
Since they began working in East Timor, in 1984, two
\nprostitutes have been killed by local residents. Local rumor has
\nit that prostitution in the province is backed by certain
\nindividual ABRI members.<\/p>\n
Bishop Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo once petitioned the local
\nprovincial government for the expulsion of the prostitutes from
\nthe province.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/col-m-simbolon-pledges-to-respect-human-rights-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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