E. Timor denies indicting RI generals
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.