Ad hoc trials still awaiting induction of prosecutors

Ad hoc trials still awaiting induction of prosecutors

Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

There is still no indication of when the long-awaited trial for
the human rights abuse cases in East Timor in 1999 and the
Tandjung Priok shooting incident in 1984 will start, despite
readiness from the newly installed ad hoc human rights judges.

The case files are still in the hands of the state prosecutors
and there is no way that they can be filed with the court until
the 36 career and non-career prosecutors, appointed by the Ad Hoc
Human Rights Court, are sworn in and given a chance to create
indictments from the files.

Attorney General M.A. Rachman said on Friday that his office
would inaugurate the prosecutors, including many active state
prosecutors, military prosecutors and former state and military
prosecutors, possibly by next week. He added that they were more
than ready to start work.

"We finished the case files last year. Our task now is only to
inaugurate the 36 prosecutors by next week. The next step is to
submit the 12 indictments gradually to the court -- three at a
time," Rachman told reporters after installing Muljohardjo as the
new head of the Jakarta Prosecutors' Office.

The trial for the East Timor rights violation cases, where
many high-ranking military officials are included among the 19
suspects, constitutes a major event that the people and the
international community will be paying close attention to, as it
is considered a litmus test for justice and democracy in
Indonesia. In its development, the establishment of the rights
tribunal has been delayed several times over the past two years.

Chief Justice Bagir Manan expected the trial to commence on
Feb. 15 as the judges were already available and the venue for
the trials at the Central Jakarta District Court compound had
been inaugurated on Thursday. But again, he said, it would be up
to the readiness of the Attorney General's Office.

Rachman, who was also a leader of the ad hoc team of
investigators on the East Timor mayhem, assured the public that
the rights prosecutors were well-trained.

"This will be the first prosecution on extraordinary crimes
against humanity. But we are prepared and hopefully we can handle
this well," Rachman added.