Bring to justice those responsible for killings: UN

JAKARTA (JP): A visiting UN Security Council mission called on the government here to speed up the judicial process of militia leader Eurico Guterres and those responsible for the killings of three international workers in East Nusa Tenggara in September.

Speaking to a joint media conference with Minister of Foreign Affairs Alwi Shihab, Namibian Ambassador to the UN Security Council Martin Andjaba said on Friday that the mission would like to "underscore the international community's interest in speedy progress in bringing to justice those responsible for the deaths of the three UNHCR staff, two UN peacekeepers and for the events of 1999 (in East Timor)".

"Members of the mission expressed the hope that the cases of Eurico Guterres and those responsible for the murders of three UNHCR staff would proceed quickly," Andjaba said, reading a four- page statement issued at the end of the UN delegation's four-day visit to Indonesia.

Eurico was arrested in October for his alleged role in ordering his followers to repossess arms which had been handed over to the authorities in the East Nusa Tenggara town of Atambua on Sept. 24.

He is being detained at the Salemba penitentiary in Central Jakarta and awaiting trial, the date of which has yet to be set.

Eurico is, however, not a suspect in the Atambua killing of UN workers.

The North Jakarta District Court is scheduled to hold the trial of the seven suspects of the Sept. 6 murder of the three UN humanitarian workers.

All seven suspects are East Timorese.

Andjaba, who is leading the seven-member UN delegation, said the mission "welcomes the efforts the Indonesian government is making to address the situation on the western half of Timor island, but much remains to be done".

Andjaba said that "information from refugees returning to East Timor indicates that intimidation is still present in the camps in East Nusa Tenggara".

"The intimidation must be stopped. Many refugees are saying that they are frightened and still do not have a free choice about their own future, and security in the camps remains uncertain," he said, adding that "further decisive action is necessary to deal with the remaining militias".

The delegation was in the country to assess whether UN Security Council resolution 1319, calling for the immediate disarmament and disbandment of the militias, had been implemented by Jakarta.

The resolution was issued following the murders of the three UN relief workers in Atambua on Sept. 6.

The murders sparked an international outcry and resulted in the exodus of about 400 foreign aid personnel who were working with about 130,000 East Timorese refugees remaining on the western half of Timor island.

Some 250,000 people fled to East Nusa Tenggara after the people in the former Indonesian province voted for independence in August 1999.

Andjaba also said on Friday that no decision had been made as to whether UN relief workers would be able to return and resume aid operations in East Nusa Tenggara.

"For this to happen, the security of international humanitarian workers will need to be assured," Andjaba said.

He added that "the Indonesian government will be discussing with the UN offices in Jakarta arrangements to facilitate an assessment by UN security experts of the situation in East Nusa Tenggara, in cooperation with the police, Indonesian Military and other responsible authorities".

Andjaba also said his mission "took note of the request of Attorney General Marzuki Darusman for international assistance in ensuring adequate expertise in bringing to justice those responsible for human rights violations".

"Mr. Darusman indicated his intention to work closely with the office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and to establish a referral commission which includes international experts," Andjaba said, referring to the delegation's meeting with Marzuki earlier in the day.

The UN mission also said the internationally observed registration of refugees in East Nusa Tenggara was important.

Andjaba said the delegation would be making its full report to the Security Council on Nov. 20.

Meanwhile, Alwi said "Indonesia for its part will continue to take steps to further enhance the security conditions in the (refugee) camps" in East Nusa Tenggara.(byg/bby)