U.S. rights groups file lawsuit against TNI general<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Lt. Gen. Johny Lumintang was notified of a
\nlawsuit filed against him by two human rights groups in the
\nUnited States representing victims of atrocities committed in
\nEast Timor last year, a New York-based human rights group said on
\nFriday.<\/p>\n
The East Timor Action Network (ETAN) said in a media release
\nthat Johny, who was the deputy Army chief when the violence broke
\nout, received the notice late Thursday at the Dulles
\nInternational Airport in Washington.<\/p>\n
Johny, who is now the governor of the National Resilience
\nInstitute (Lemhannas), was in Washington for a conference at the
\ninvitation of the U.S.-Indonesian Society.<\/p>\n
The suit was filed in U.S. District Court on Tuesday by the
\nCenter for Constitutional Rights (CCR), the Center for Justice
\nand Accountability (CJA) and James Klimaski on behalf of several
\nvictims of the East Timor mayhem.<\/p>\n
ETAN spokesman John Miller said the suit was necessary because
\n\"the United Nations has put an international tribunal on hold and
\nIndonesia's attorney general plans to focus his efforts on only a
\nfew of the more widely publicized incidents and Indonesian
\nmilitary commanders allegedly involved in them.\"<\/p>\n
The plaintiffs are three East Timorese: a mother whose son was
\nkilled, a man who had his foot amputated after being shot and a
\nman whose father was injured and brother murdered.<\/p>\n
ETAN said the plaintiffs wished to remain anonymous at this
\ntime because East Timor remains subject to Indonesian military
\nand militia attacks.<\/p>\n
Violence ravaged East Timor after the Aug. 30 self-
\ndetermination ballot.<\/p>\n
Legal papers filed in court cited a telegram signed by Johny
\nand sent to former Udayana military commander overseeing security
\nin East Timor Maj. Gen. Adam Damiri and other commanders just
\nhours before the agreement to conduct the ballot was signed at
\nthe United Nations on May 5.<\/p>\n
The telegram, ETAN said, ordered commanders to plan a
\ncrackdown should the East Timorese vote in favor of independence.
\nThis was to include \"a plan to move to the rear and evacuate if
\nthe second option is chosen\".<\/p>\n
The suit also cited a June 1999 army manual, also signed by
\nJohny, which stated that the Army's Kopassus intelligence
\noperatives were to be trained in propaganda, kidnapping, terror,
\nagitation, sabotage, infiltration, undercover operations, wire-
\ntapping and photographic intelligence.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, in Singapore, Adm. Dennis Cutler Blair, commander
\nin chief of the U.S. Pacific Command, said Friday that military
\nties between the United States and Indonesia could only be
\nresumed if those responsible in the East Timor violence were
\nbrought to justice.<\/p>\n
\"We need to see progress in finding who was responsible for
\nthe actions following the referendum,\" Blair, who was scheduled
\nto visit Jakarta next week, was quoted by AP as saying.<\/p>\n
Blair last visited Jakarta in early September for just a few
\nhours when he met with then military chief Gen. Wiranto to inform
\nhim that military ties between the two countries had been cut.<\/p>\n
\"My visit (next week) signifies that we are at least within
\ntalking range, so some progress has been definitely made,\" he
\nsaid. (byg)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/us-rights-groups-file-lawsuit-against-tni-general-1447893297",
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