Controversy fact emerges on Guterres at court hearing

Controversy fact emerges on Guterres at court hearing

JAKARTA (JP): Lawyers defending former East Timor
prointegration leader Eurico Guterres insisted on Monday his
trial was unlawful following their latest assertion that the
government had yet to revoke the defendant's status as a member
of the legislative council in the former Indonesian province.

One of the lawyers, Suhardi Somomoeljono told a session at the
North Jakarta District Court he had received notification from
the ministry of home affairs and regional autonomy that his
client was still registered as a councillor and received his
monthly salary.

"This new fact raises a question (of the validity of the
trial) since there should have been written approval from the
(East Timor) governor.

"But who is the governor now? This case is dealing with a
vacuum of law," Suhardi told the panel of judges presided over by
Suwardi.

The lawyer said from the legal point of view, the finding
implied that the East Timor province's existence remained
recognizable and that the defendant was not jobless as stated in
his indictment.

Last week lawyers said the charges against their client were
obscure and, thus, should be set aside by the judges for failing
to clarify Gueterres' status and profession.

Chief prosecutor Hamka Minhadj, however, insisted that the
defendant did not have a permanent job.

"It's only the lawyers' interpretation that we describe
Guterres as jobless. We called the defendant "a militiaman" in
accordance with the investigators' report, in which the term is
used to describe all pro-integration East Timorese who struggled
to stay with Indonesia," Hamka said.

He charged the court to accept the indictment and to proceed
with the trial.

Guterres is accused of instigating his men to retake seized
weapons from police officers and possessing illegal weapons last
year in Atambua, East Nusa Tenggara, where he resided as a
refugee.

Around 250,000 East Timorese fled to neighboring provinces
after a vote on the Aug. 30, 1999 chose not to integrate with
Indonesia.

Dozens of Guterres supporters packing the courtroom stood up
and sang the national anthem soon after the session was opened.
Judge Suwardi declined to calm the supporters, who opted to
remain standing during the 20-minute hearing.

Still in his military fatigues, Guterres interrupted the
hearing, demanding the judges issue a verdict.

"Although I'm a fighter and a legislator, the government has
abandoned me. Just punish me, I'm ready ... even to be hanged,"
he screamed.

The court was adjourned until Jan. 21 to hear the judges'
pretrial ruling.(bby)