E. Timor indicts Indonesian officers
E. Timor indicts Indonesian officers
Agence France-Presse, Dili
Prosecutors in East Timor said on Wednesday they have indicted 16
people including eight Indonesian army officers for crimes
against humanity before and after the territory's bloody
breakaway from Jakarta in 1999.
The Serious Crimes Unit said in a statement that an indictment
filed on Monday accuses the 16 of 31 counts of crimes against
humanity against civilians including "murder, extermination,
enforced disappearance, torture, deportation and persecution."
It is the second attempt in less than two months by the United
Nations-funded unit to bring Indonesian officers to justice.
In late February it indicted Indonesia's former defense
minister and military chief, Wiranto, for crimes against humanity
along with six other senior officers and the then-governor.
Indonesia refuses to hand over any suspects. East Timor's
President Xanana Gusmao criticized the February indictments,
saying good relations with the former ruler should take priority.
Indonesia's military and their proxy militias waged a savage
intimidation campaign before East Timorese voted in August 1999
for independence, and a revenge campaign afterwards.
The territory finally gained independence last May after a
period of UN stewardship.
The latest indictment covers crimes in Covalima district
between January and October 1999, including the massacre at Suai
church on Sept. 6, in which at least 31 people including three
Catholic priests were killed.
Apart from the eight officers, those charged are the former
Indonesian district civilian administrator, the former Indonesian
district police chief and six ethnic East Timorese serving with
the military.
Among the former district commanders and officials to be
indicted are Col. Herman Sedyono, the ex-district administrator;
Lt. Col. Achmad Mas Agus; Lt. Col. Lilik Kushadianto; police Lt.
Col. Gatot Subiaktoro; Lt. Achmad Syamsuddin and Lt. Sugito.
The indictment accuses Sedyono of personally taking part in
the church attack along with Kushadianto, Subiaktoro, Sugito and
Syamsuddin.
It says Sedyono and Agus helped set up and fund the notorious
Laksaur militia while Agus gave them military weapons.
Between January and August 1999 troops and militiamen are
alleged to have colluded in over 35 cases of torture, four
"disappearances" and 10 cases of murder in Covalima.
After August, soldiers and militiamen in the district are
accused of 36 murders.
The Serious Crimes Unit said all the accused are believed to
be in Indonesia. Prosecutors there would be asked to arrest them
and the warrants would also be forwarded to Interpol.
Sedyono, Kushadianto, Subiaktoro, Syamsuddin and Sugito have
already appeared before Indonesia's human rights court and been
acquitted.
The Jakarta court was set up in response to international
demands for justice but has acquitted 11 out of 16 defendants in
widely criticized verdicts.