10-year jail term sought for officer

10-year jail term sought for officer

JAKARTA: Human rights prosecutors demanded a 10-year jail sentence on Monday for a former East Timor military chief accused of gross human rights abuses in the territory three years ago.

Lt. Col. Endar Priyanto was guilty because he failed to prevent an attack on a refugee-packed compound in Dili in April 1999 by his men and pro-Jakarta militiamen, prosecutors told the Central Jakarta district court.

A witness to the attack, East Timorese Florendo de Jesus, told the court last month that he was "certain that the TNI (the Indonesian armed forces) launched the attack" because he had recognized several attackers as being armed forces members from the Maubara district.

Priyanto is one of 18 military and police officers, officials and civilians who have faced charges of gross human rights violations for failing to prevent or stop massacres by subordinates in Dili in April 1999 and September 1999.

The court has already acquitted six officers, including the former police chief, and sentenced the former governor to just three years in jail. The others are still on trial.

Pro-Indonesia militias, which were armed and organized by the Indonesian military, launched a brutal campaign of intimidation before the August 1999 vote to break away from Indonesia, and a revenge campaign afterwards.

Dozens of innocent people were killed in the rampage. Priyanto's trial continues next Monday. --AFP