UN, U.S. human rights officials to visit E. Timor<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Two high-ranking foreign officials, U.S.
\nAssistant Secretary of State John Shattuck and United Nations
\nspecial envoy Jamsheed Marker, are due in East Timor this week on
\nseparate fact-finding missions on the human rights situation.<\/p>\n
Shattuck, who is the assistant secretary for democracy, human
\nrights and labor, arrived here quietly Sunday with no formal
\nannouncement from officials in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
However, his trip soon grabbed media attention with Monday's
\nvisit to the National Human Rights Commission and yesterday's
\nvisit to detained labor rights leader Muchtar Pakpahan, who is
\nundergoing treatment at Cikini Hospital, Central Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Shattuck is due in Dili, East Timor, today for a two-day
\nvisit.<\/p>\n
National Human Rights Commission member Marzuki Darusman said
\nhe welcomed Shattuck's visit to the province.<\/p>\n
He said it would enable the assistant secretary to obtain
\nfirst hand information on developments in Indonesia's youngest
\nprovince.<\/p>\n
"The visit will not only be useful to the United States but
\nalso Indonesia," he said.<\/p>\n
During Monday's meeting with the commission, Shattuck not only
\nsought information on East Timor but also political developments
\nin Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Shattuck's office, the bureau of democracy, human rights and
\nlabor, released in January its annual human rights report which
\nincluded an extensive criticism of human rights violations in
\nIndonesia.<\/p>\n
The report also highlighted the suppression of labor activists
\nhere.<\/p>\n
An official at the unrecognized Indonesian Prosperous Labor
\nUnion, which Pakpahan founded and leads, told The Jakarta Post
\nthat Shattuck visited Pakpahan at the hospital yesterday.<\/p>\n
The official said Shattuck wanted to see how Pakpahan's
\ntreatment was progressing and learn more from the labor leader on
\nworkers' conditions here.<\/p>\n
Pakpahan is currently serving a four-year sentence for
\ninciting a labor riot in Medan, North Sumatra, in 1994. He was
\nadmitted to hospital earlier this month for what could be a lung
\ntumor.<\/p>\n
UN special envoy Jamsheed Marker is scheduled to arrive here
\ntomorrow.<\/p>\n
A foreign ministry official said the 74-year-old envoy would
\nbe leaving Saturday for a three-day trip to East Timor.<\/p>\n
Marker, Pakistan's former ambassador to the UN, was appointed
\na special envoy on East Timor by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan
\nearlier this year to inject life into the UN-brokered talks
\nbetween Jakarta and Lisbon.<\/p>\n
The ninth meeting between the Indonesian and Portuguese
\nforeign ministers, scheduled for last December, was canceled due
\nto the imminent change of the UN Secretary General.<\/p>\n
Jakarta integrated the former Portuguese colony of East Timor
\ninto Indonesia in 1976. However, the UN still recognizes Lisbon
\nas the administrative power there.<\/p>\n
The foreign affairs official said that while in Jakarta Marker
\nwould also be meeting with foreign minister Ali Alatas and
\nmembers of the National Commission on Human Rights.<\/p>\n
The official added that, while in East Timor, Marker is
\nexpected to meet with Dili Bishop Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo,
\nGovernor Abilio Jose Osorio Soares and military commander Col.
\nMahidin Simbolon. (mds)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/un-us-human-rights-officials-to-visit-e-timor-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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