Commission brushes aside criticism of rights inquiry
Commission brushes aside criticism of rights inquiry
JAKARTA (JP): The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas
HAM) dismissed protests that its members had violated the
principle of presumption of innocence by naming military generals
alleged to be responsible for rights abuses in East Timor.
Lawyers for the suspected generals, led by Adnan Buyung
Nasution, demanded on Wednesday censure against members of the
Komnas-sponsored inquiry on East Timor (KPP HAM) for accusing
their clients of committing rights abuses in the territory.
They said statements made by inquiry members accusing their
clients of rights violations were "premature, one-sided and not
objective".
But commission chairman Marzuki Darusman brushed aside the
scorn saying that defense lawyers were overreacting.
"There's been an overreaction on the part of Pak Buyung in
responding to the developments," Marzuki told The Jakarta Post on
Thursday.
He had strong words for the defense saying their demands would
"constitute an infringement of our internal affairs and that
Buyung would be overstepping the boundaries if he insists on
that".
"KPP HAM will continue inspite of this reaction," Marzuki said
adding that the inquiry was "only trying to explain as much as
possible within its framework".
Marzuki also retorted suggestions that it was wrong to reveal
the work of the inquiry.
"The public's right to know about the inquiry's progress has
to be met by announcing the developments to the public, and that
is a procedure the commission will (continue to) take," Marzuki
said.
He, however, conceded that the rights body would evaluate "the
significance of the reaction and will also outline a
communication strategy which will be more effective in the
future".
In its interim report on Nov. 30, the inquiry said it had
found indications that the Indonesian Military (TNI) was involved
in or had prior knowledge about the mass destruction which took
place following the East Timor self-determination ballot on Aug.
30.
The inquiry wishes to question six senior TNI and police
officers whom it said were responsible for security in East Timor
during the mayhem.
The six are Gen. Wiranto, the TNI chief in September and now
coordinating minister for political affairs and security, Maj.
Gen. Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, Maj. Gen. Adam Damiri, Maj. Gen. Zacky
Anwar Makarim, Brig. Gen. Tono Suratman and Police Brig. Gen.
Timbul Silaen.
All six have retained the services of some of the country's
top lawyers to represent them.
KPP HAM's secretary Asmara Nababan told the Post later in the
day that the generals would be questioned next week and that the
summonses would be sent on Friday.
Asmara, however, refused to disclose the exact date and order
of the questioning.
Separately in Yogyakarta, leading rights activist Hendardi, of
the Indonesian Legal Aid and Human Rights Association (PBHI),
shared Marzuki's opinion saying that the generals' protests were
an overreaction.
He said that the inquiry must be conducted in a transparent
manner and that the public should be granted full access to its
development.
Meanwhile, the team of defense lawyers left Jakarta on
Thursday to go to East Timor but were denied entry to the
territory by chief of the International Force in East Timor
(Interfet) Maj. Gen. Peter Cosgrove.
The entry refusal was conveyed in a telephone conversation
between Buyung and Cosgrove during a stopover in Bali.
Antara claimed that Cosgrove first told Buyung to gain
clearance from Komnas HAM, but the lawyer lashed out saying that
they were not subordinates to the rights body.
Cosgrove then reportedly relented and said that Buyung would
only have to submit a list of people entering the
territory.(44/byg)