Army's decision on Liquisa applauded

Army's decision on Liquisa applauded

JAKARTA (JP): Politicians lauded yesterday the Army's decision
to court-martial two of its members over the killings of six East
Timorese, although they were not in full agreement with some of
the findings of the military investigation into the affair.

Clementino Dos Reis Amaral, a senior East Timorese politician,
who sits in the National Commission on Human Rights, said the
Army's report on the incident in East Timor's Liquisa regency
last January was generally consistent with the one conducted by
his commission.

The only divergence was over the status of the victims, with
the Army insisting that they were members of the armed separatist
rebel group, Fretilin. The National Commission on Human Rights
has doubts about the military claim.

Two members of the House of Representatives, B.N. Marbun from
the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) and Syamsul Muarif from the
dominant Golkar faction, also applauded the Army.

Syamsul described the action as "appropriate and courageous".
Marbun, who also had some reservations about the status of the
victims, nevertheless said the Army's move was "positive."

Army Chief of Staff Gen. R. Hartono announced on Monday that
two soldiers would be court-martialled in connection with the
death of six East Timorese in the Liquisa regency last January.

Hartono said several officers and soldiers would also face
disciplinary measures over the affair.

Clementino, who took part in the investigation by the human
rights commission, applauded the Army for admitting the mistakes
made by its own members.

He said, however, that he had a hard time accepting the
statement on the status of the victims. "We should never make
arbitrary accusations, especially against people who are dead.
That's not kind."

Clementino said there was no way military investigators could
have easily ascertained that the people shot dead by the soldiers
were really rebels. "Those villagers, the common people, many of
whom are illiterate, are really in a bind. When soldiers come,
they are usually helpful. But once the soldiers are gone, and the
rebel groups come, they, too, often have no choice but to provide
them with food or shelter."

The Commission agreed, in principle, with the Army's findings
because they were derived through correct procedures, he said.
"But what's important here is that such an incident must never
happen again, in this territory, in the future."

"If this happens again, then it means the democratization
process in East Timor is still far from being solid," he said.

Syamsul called the military's admission of the mistakes made
by its soldiers as "appropriate and courageous", and urged that
legal procedures be carried out as soon as possible in order to
prove whether the victims really were rebels.

The process of determining the status of the victims will be
crucial to the credibility of the findings, he pointed out. "I
believe it's rather difficult for people to decide, in East
Timor, who are rebels and who are civilians."

"In addition, the two soldiers will have due opportunity to
defend themselves in court, and explain what the causes of their
action were," Syamsul said.

Marbun also expressed doubts over the status of the victims.
"What the Council has found is really positive and a step
forward, but in order for this case to be really transparent, the
trial should be held soon," he said.

Marbun said the killing was proof of ABRI's failure in dealing
with the territory. "I believe the territorial development
approach that ABRI employs in East Timor is still off target.

"That's why we should examine where the mistakes originated
from," he said, adding, "But we should all welcome and support
ABRI for its open attitude in the matter." (swe)