Army ready to surrender soldiers

JAKARTA: Army Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Endriartono Sutarto pledged good cooperation with the planned ad hoc tribunal for army officers implicated in human rights abuses in East Timor in 1999.

"I will surrender any of my soldiers to face the court of justice if they are suspected of having any involvement in crimes against humanity. Even if they are four star generals," he said.

The Indonesian government is recruiting judges for the ad hoc tribunal for soldiers allegedly involved in human rights abuses in East Timor following a referendum which led to the territory's independence.

The trial is scheduled for December. Notably absent from the Attorney General's list of 16 suspects is Gen. Wiranto, the then military chief.

The three most senior officers among the suspects are Brig. Gen. Tono Suratman, formerly of Wira Dharma military command in Dili; Brig. Gen. Noermuis, Tono's successor; and Maj. Gen. Adam Damiri, formerly of Udayana Military Command which oversees security in Bali, Nusa Tenggara and East Timor. -- JP