Military accused of hiding bodies in mass graves<\/p>\n
ATAMBUA, East Nusa Tenggara (JP): An Indonesian investigation
\nteam on alleged rights abuses in East Timor suggested on Friday
\nthat a middle-ranking army officer was responsible for removing
\nand hiding 26 bodies in a mass grave near the East Timor border.<\/p>\n
\"Witnesses' accounts have made identifying the perpetrators
\neasier, and we have reached the point where the commission
\nalready has the names of those allegedly involved in Suai,
\nincluding a middle-ranking officer who was reportedly seen at the
\nscene when the church was attacked by Laksaur militias,\" Munir, a
\nmember of the Commission for Investigation of Human Rights Abuses
\nin East Timor, told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
He refused to disclose the names of those allegedly involved,
\nbut said the officer was involved in \"organizing the disposal of
\nthe bodies\".<\/p>\n
\"Witnesses said the bodies were transported to the grave site
\nusing trucks and military vehicles,\" Munir said.<\/p>\n
The Commission discovered on Thursday three hidden mass graves
\non Oeluli beach, about three kilometers from the East Timor
\nborder.<\/p>\n
The 26 bodies are believed to be victims of a pro-integration
\nmilitia attack on a church in the East Timor town of Suai in
\nearly September. The victims include three Catholic priests.<\/p>\n
Munir, on a nine day fact-finding mission with commission
\nmember H.S. Dillon and a team of forensic experts led by the
\nUniversity of Indonesia's Budi Sampurna, said that the 26th body
\nwas found on Friday morning.<\/p>\n
Munir said the body of an adult male was found in the third
\ngrave in the morning, adding that eight of the 26 remains have
\nbeen identified as women.<\/p>\n
Budi told the Post the forensic team was \"90 percent sure\" the
\nvictims died of bullet and knife wounds.<\/p>\n
The priests were identified as Dewanto from Central Java along
\nwith Hilario Modeira and Fransisco from East Timor.<\/p>\n
\"Priest Dewanto could be identified because we have his
\nmedical records from Panti Rapih hospital in Yogyakarta with us,
\nwhile the other two from their personal belongings,\" Budi said.<\/p>\n
All 26 bodies were handed to the International Committee of
\nthe Red Cross in Atambua on Friday afternoon to be taken to Dili.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile in Jakarta, Indonesian Military (TNI) spokesman Maj.
\nGen. Sudrajat denied allegations of the military's involvement,
\nsaying \"there was no such official operation by the TNI\".<\/p>\n
\"If it is confirmed by eye witnesses, I need it to be
\nclarified. Send it to the TNI, give us details on when, where,
\nwho are the TNI members (allegedly involved) and what they were
\ndoing there and then TNI would verify it,\" Sudrajat told the
\nPost.<\/p>\n
Separately in Jakarta, chairman of the National Commission on
\nHuman Rights Marzuki Darusman underlined the seriousness of the
\nissue.<\/p>\n
\"The report has far reaching consequences and needs to be
\nreported to the President. We will be making recommendations for
\nintensive investigations into the matter,\" Marzuki said.<\/p>\n
\"We will insist that not only the people who executed the
\norders be charged with rights violations, but also ranking
\nofficers who are directly and indirectly responsible for this
\ntragedy,\" he told the Post.(bay\/byg\/emf)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/military-accused-of-hiding-bodies-in-mass-graves-1447893297",
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