Abilio asserts innocence in E. Timor massacre

Abilio asserts innocence in E. Timor massacre

Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

East Timor's former governor, Abilio Soares, told the ad hoc
human rights trial here on Thursday pleaded not guilty to
massacres in the former province three years ago, saying the
United Nations Mission in East Timor (UNAMET) should be held
responsible for all legal consequences before and after the 1999
independence ballot.

Abilio told the ad hoc human rights trial here on Thursday
that UNAMET had violated the rules of the UN-brokered ballot
designed in accordance with the May 5, 1999, New York Tripartite
Agreement, causing an escalation in tension between pro-Jakarta
militiamen and those supporting the province's independence.

"UNAMET is also fully responsible for the chaos that took
place after the expedited announcement of the ballot's results
scheduled from Sept. 7 to Sept. 4. This was UNAMET's own
initiative. Indonesia should not be accountable for this," he
read out in his defense statement.

Abilio is facing demands that he serve a 10-and-a-half year
prison sentence for violating Law No. 26/2000 on human rights by
neglecting his duties and powers to prevent rights abuses.

Prosecutors took Abilio's lack of remorse as an incriminating
factor, but the defendant revealed that as a political prisoner
in the past he had "gone through rough days to struggle for
integration with Indonesia".

"This trial has made me lose faith in what is right and
wrong ... I was brought to court because I struggled to obtain my
citizenship through blood, sweat and tears," Abilio told the
court.

Judge Cicut Sutiarso adjourned the hearing until July 25 to
hear the prosecution.

In a separate hearing, two expert witnesses produced by the
defense lawyer of East Timor's former police chief, Gen. Timbul
Silaen, made it clear that the police should not solely be blamed
for the atrocities surrounding the independence ballot.

Political and military observer from the Indonesian Institute
of Science (LIPI) Indria Samego, told the court that the police
at the time was a sub-unit of the Armed Forces (ABRI) whose main
function was maintain security.

"The police at the time were responsible for dealing with
petty crimes, they were not equipped to deal with the situation
in East Timor or the crimes, which were politically motivated,"
he said.