Timor Leste arrests militiaman<\/p>\n
Guido Guilliart, Associated Press\/Cailaco, Timor Leste<\/p>\n
A militiaman accused of committing crimes against humanity during
\nTimor Leste's bloody break from Indonesia was arrested late last
\nmonth as he returned to visit relatives, police said on Thursday.<\/p>\n
Manuel Maia's arrest on July 27 was believed to be the first
\nof a militiaman linked to the 1999 violence that left 1,500 dead
\nsince the United Nations closed its unit investigating and
\nprosecuting rights violations in May.<\/p>\n
"He has been involved in many cases against the people and he
\nis accused of crimes against humanity," said Cailaco Police Chief
\nFauseo Pallo, who was involved in the arrest. "The victims are
\nlooking for justice."<\/p>\n
Among the crimes Maia is accused of committing is the killing
\nof two independence supporters in the village of Manapa in April
\n1999, and helping Indonesian soldiers and other anti-independence
\nmilitiamen burn down homes in the town, which is near the border
\nwith Indonesia.<\/p>\n
His case could serve as a barometer of Timor Leste's
\nwillingness to go after the hundreds of indicted militiamen and
\nIndonesian soldiers who are still at large -- many of them in
\nIndonesia, human rights groups say.<\/p>\n
"There are a lot of war crimes suspects in West Timor
\n(Indonesia)," said Robin Perry, legal officer with Judicial
\nSystem Monitoring Program in Timor Leste. "They will be looking
\nto see how the case of Maia will be treated."<\/p>\n
"If (he) is allowed to walk free or given a light jail
\nsentence, then that could send a clear signal to suspects that
\nthey can return to East Timor without fear of prosecution," said
\nPerry, referring to Timor Leste's former name.<\/p>\n
Nearly 1,500 people died when the Indonesian military and its
\nproxy militias went on a killing, looting and burning spree after
\nthe Timorese voted overwhelmingly for independence.<\/p>\n
The international community pressured Jakarta in 2002 to
\nestablish a special tribunal to prosecute Indonesians allegedly
\nresponsible for the violence.<\/p>\n
But the trials have been widely criticized as a sham, with all
\n17 police and military commanders indicted receiving acquittals.
\nThe other, a Timorese militia leader, is free on appeal.<\/p>\n
Timor Leste has indicted 440 Indonesian servicemen and militia
\nmembers for human rights violations. Of those, 339 suspects are
\nbelieved to be living in Indonesia -- including failed Indonesian
\npresidential candidate Gen. Wiranto, who was the country's
\nmilitary chief in 1999.<\/p>\n
It remains unclear if any of those suspects will see a
\ncourtroom. Timor Leste's legal system remains weak and the UN's
\nSerious Crimes Unit -- responsible for most of the indictments --
\nclosed on May 20. The UN Security Council has yet to act on a
\nrequest to extend its mandate as rights groups and diplomats
\nwant.<\/p>\n
Further complicating matters is the fact that neither
\nIndonesia nor Timor Leste support the creation of an
\ninternational tribunal -- which is seen as the best way to bring
\nperpetrators outside Indonesia to justice.<\/p>\n
Instead, they have joined together to form the Truth and
\nFriendship Commission, which will investigate the violence but
\nhas no power to prosecute.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/timor-leste-arrests-militiaman-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}