E. Timor findings 'must go to trial'

E. Timor findings 'must go to trial'

JAKARTA (JP): Attorney General Marzuki Darusman said on
Wednesday that the findings of a national inquiry into last
year's violence in East Timor, in which top military generals,
including former Indonesian Military (TNI) chief Gen. Wiranto,
were implicated, must result in a trial.

"It must reach (the courts). We cannot just let it hang,"
Marzuki told reporters before a Cabinet meeting which was also
attended by Wiranto.

Marzuki said it would take about three months to decide
whether the Attorney General's Office would file charges against
the TNI top brass.

He said, however, if the formal investigation was not
completed in three months, it then could be extended by another
three months.

Marzuki said that Wiranto's status as a Cabinet member would
not hamper his office in starting an investigation.

Wiranto is currently coordinating minister for political
affairs and security.

The government-sanctioned Commission of Inquiry into Human
Rights Violations (KPP HAM) in East Timor implicated Wiranto and
four other senior officers in the campaign of terror and
destruction which erupted after the Aug. 30 ballot in the ravaged
territory.

Later in the day, spokesman for the Attorney General's Office,
Soehandoyo, told reporters that Marzuki had instructed Deputy
Attorney General for Intelligence Yusuf Kertanegara and Deputy
Attorney General for General Crimes Rahman to study the
commission's report.

The commission listed a total of 33 people, including former
East Timor commander Brig. Gen. Tono Suratman, his immediate
superior Maj. Gen. Adam Damiri, who was former chief of the
Udayana Military Command which oversaw East Timor, former East
Timor Police chief Brig. Gen. Timbul Silaen, former intelligence
chief Maj. Gen. Zacky Anwar Makarim and several prointegration
militia leaders.

In response to his entry in the roster, Timbul said he was
"okay with the findings".

"They have to prove it in court. Up to now, the police do not
see me as a violator of human rights here," Timbul told reporters
on the sidelines of the induction of Maj. Gen. Bimantoro as the
new National Police deputy chief at National Police Headquarters.

National Police chief Lt. Gen. Rusdihardjo said on the same
occasion the police would not accept the commission's report
without proper analysis.

The government has rejected calls for an international
tribunal to try those involved in the violence, and has appealed
to members of the UN Security Council to allow Jakarta to handle
the issue domestically.

Meanwhile, Antara reported later in the day that former
justice minister Muladi called on the House of Representatives to
reject the government regulation in lieu of the law on human
rights tribunals as it could not try past human rights abuses.

Muladi is now coordinating the defense team for the TNI
generals. (01/ylt/byg)