UN clipped out power in E. Timor: Witnesses<\/p>\n
Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Two former top security officers in charge of East Timor
\ntestified at the ad hoc East Timor human rights trial on
\nWednesday, insisting that the task of creating peace and order
\nbefore, during and after the 1999 independence ballot was simply
\nout of their hands.<\/p>\n
Former Udayana military commander Maj. Gen. Adam Damiri and
\nformer East Timor police chief Brig. Gen. Timbul Selaen told the
\ncourt that they were under the control of the United Nations
\nMission in East Timor (UNAMET).<\/p>\n
\"There were not enough military and police personnel on the
\nground to calm heightened tensions between conflicting community
\ngroups... We were undertaking mission impossible,\" Adam said.<\/p>\n
He was testifying during the trial of former Covalima regent
\nCol. Herman Sedyono, former Suai military commander Col. Sugito,
\nSugito's predecessor Lt. Col. Liliek Koeshadianto, former Suai
\nmilitary command chief of staff Capt. Achmad Syamsudin, and
\nformer Suai Police chief Lt. Col. Gatot Subiakto.<\/p>\n
They are charged with neglecting their duty and failing to
\nprevent pro-Jakarta militia members from attacking pro-
\nindependence supporters taking refuge in Suai's St. Ave Maria
\nChurch on Sept. 6, 1999, two days after the result of the ballot
\nwas announced.<\/p>\n
The attack claimed 27 lives, including three Catholic
\npriests.<\/p>\n
Adam said security authorities had provided shelter for
\nrefugees, while the shelters in churches \"were created only to
\nattract international attention in order to get donations. The
\nrefugees were still doing their daily jobs.\"<\/p>\n
Although UNAMET was not entrusted with security matters in
\nIndonesia's former 27th province, there was virtually not a
\nsingle security measure the military and police could carry out
\nwithout consulting UNAMET.<\/p>\n
\"It was UNAMET who made Jakarta replace Suai military
\ncommander Lt. Col. Achmad Mas Agus for no clear reason, so I
\nappointed Liliek to fill the post. UNAMET also prohibited the
\nmilitary from patrolling,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Timbul Silaen meanwhile said that 6,000 police personnel were
\nnot enough to secure the 13 districts of East Timor.<\/p>\n
\"UNAMET rejected our request to put the military under our
\ncommand since there was no time to wait for additional force from
\nother regions to stop the rampant clashes following the
\naccelerated announcement of the ballot result,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Both Adam and Timbul are among the 18 suspects charged with
\noffenses relating to the East Timor violence.<\/p>\n
Presiding Judge Cicut Sutiarso adjourned the hearing until
\nJune 25 to hear more witnesses.<\/p>\n
Earlier in the day, Judge Cicut opened the first hearing on
\nthe attack of Liquica Church on April 6, 1999, which killed 22
\nproindependence civilians taking refuge in Catholic Priest Rafael
\nDos Santos's residence inside the church compound.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/un-clipped-out-power-in-e-timor-witnesses-1447893297",
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