E. Timor denies indicting RI generals

Berni K. Moestafa, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The East Timor government denied on Thursday news reports that it has indicted former Indonesian Military chief Gen. (ret) Wiranto and five other generals for crimes against humanity, ending concerns of a diplomatic rift.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda said he had called East Timor's Ambassador to Indonesia Arlindo Marcel to his office on Thursday morning to explain reports over the indictment.

"The ambassador explained that the government of Timor Leste had not taken any decision on the indictment, it was only a recommendation," Hassan told reporters.

Aside from Wiranto, Maj. Gen. Zacky Anwar Makarim, Lt. Gen. (retired) Kiki Syahnakri, Maj. Gen. Adam Rachmat Damiri, Brig. Gen. Suhartono Suratman, and Brig. Gen. Mohammad Noer Muis were also reportedly indicted.

Indonesia and East Timor's nascent diplomatic channels were put to test over recent media reports on the general's charge.

The flurry began with a press statement by the Serious Crimes Unit under the United Nations Mission Support in East Timor (UNMISET).

It said UNMISET was mandated to, among other things, "focus its investigation" on those persons who were involved in violent crimes.

"In an effort to fulfill that mandate, the Deputy General Prosecutor for Serious Crimes filed an indictment on 24 Feb. 2003 with the Special Panel for Serious Crimes at Dili District Court in East Timor," the statement said.

The statement said that Wiranto along with seven high-ranking military officers and one civilian officer "have been charged with crimes against humanity".

But the United Nations later clarified UNIMISET's statement, saying it should be read as "East Timor indicts" and not the UN indicts, as reported by the media.

But the UN statement was further diluted, through Hassan's explanation that East Timor had not issued an indictment yet, and that it was just a recommendation.

"We have an ad-hoc human rights trial, and in fact, the East Timor government still believes in the national process with us," Hassan explained.

He was referring to the on-going human rights tribunal to bring to justice those responsible for the atrocities in East Timor.

Pro-Indonesia militias, allegedly backed by the Indonesian military, went on a violent rampage in the capital city of Dili after the East Timorese people overwhelmingly voted for independence in a UN-backed referendum in 1999.

Hundreds died and thousand fled the former province, prompting the UN to demand swift justice.

An international court was avoided after Indonesia agreed to set up an ad hoc human rights trial. But the court has acquitted virtually all senior military officers indicted, and did not charge Wiranto.

Indonesia would find itself in quandary if the UN had indeed indicted Wiranto. The move would have dealt a blow to the ongoing human rights trial here, undermining the country's credibility.

A UN indictment could also strain ties with the military.

Citing President Megawati Soekarnoputri's frequent overtures to the country's military elite, analysts have said the military continued to hold sway in the country's politics.