Government shifts stance on UN probe<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Shifting from its previous acceptance, the
\ngovernment on Wednesday announced its opposition to a planned
\nUnited Nations fact-finding mission to investigate reported
\natrocities in East Timor in aftermath of the self-determination
\nballot there.<\/p>\n
Minister of Justice\/State Secretary Muladi said the government
\nrejected the UN resolution to set up the international inquiry
\nbecause it had already established a national commission to
\nverify the allegations. The government will also form a human
\nrights tribunal to follow up the commission's findings as well as
\nother gross human rights abuses.<\/p>\n
President B.J. Habibie is expected to sign on Thursday a
\nPerpu, a government regulation in lieu of a law, on the
\nestablishment of the human rights tribunal, which is suggested by
\nthe newly endorsed law on human rights, according to Muladi.<\/p>\n
Citing Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas' report, Muladi
\nsaid the UN Human Rights Commission plan was not binding for the
\ngovernment.<\/p>\n
\"Indonesia rejects the UN fact-finding inquiry on human rights
\nviolations in East Timor and also the UN resolution issued on
\nSept. 27 in New York about the situation in East Timor,\" Muladi
\nsaid after attending a Cabinet meeting at Bina Graha presidential
\noffice.<\/p>\n
Different from Alatas' statement in New York, Muladi earlier
\nsaid the government had to accept the UN decision on the
\ninternational inquiry.<\/p>\n
\"As a member of the UN we have to approve the commission,\"
\nsaid Muladi, a professor of law, on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
He quoted Alatas as saying that none of Asian countries voted
\nfor the UN proposal for the inquiry. \"And it's very interesting
\nthat Russia, Sudan, China and Cuba were supportive of Indonesia,\"
\nMuladi said.<\/p>\n
Muladi said the President conveyed the government rejection to
\nUN Secretary-General Kofi Annan in a telephone conversation on
\nTuesday night.<\/p>\n
\"The President told Annan, within two or three months, the
\nnational fact-finding commission would be able to finish its
\ninvestigation\", said Muladi.<\/p>\n
He acknowledged international pressure had forced the
\ngovernment to accelerate the setting up the tribunal.<\/p>\n
Law No. 39, signed into law by the President last week,
\nactually mandates its establishment within four years.<\/p>\n
The minister also conceded government foot-dragging and
\nreluctance to fully follow up any findings of the respected
\nNational Commission on Human Rights in the past, had influenced
\nthe international community perception about the effectiveness of
\nthe commission inquiry.<\/p>\n
\"This is first test case for the national commission,\" said
\nMuladi, who is a former member of the commission.<\/p>\n
Muladi also pointed out the danger to Indonesia of the UN
\nresolution and plan on East Timor because the fact-finding
\ncommission would become an embryo for the birth of an
\ninternational war tribunal.<\/p>\n
\"Such a human rights tribunal would be rather unpleasant for
\nIndonesia,\" warned Muladi.<\/p>\n
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Mary Robinson said in
\nNew York on Tuesday the scale of atrocities in East Timor may
\nwell warrant an international war crimes tribunal.<\/p>\n
\"The allegations cover not only actions against individuals
\nbut patterns of systematic coordination,\" Robinson added.<\/p>\n
\"If that is borne out, that is the kind of evidence that
\nwarrants the establishment of an international tribunal,\" she
\nsaid as quoted by AP on the sidelines of a humanitarian award
\nceremony at New York's Waldorf Astoria hotel.<\/p>\n
Robinson said her office would actively support and coordinate
\na UN inquiry into the killings which was approved Monday. Such an
\ninvestigation is the first possible step in creating an
\ninternational tribunal.<\/p>\n
She also said work had already started and that evidence was
\nbeing preserved at the sites. (prb)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/government-shifts-stance-on-un-probe-1447893297",
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