Human rights meeting set to probe abuse claims
JAKARTA (JP): The National Commission on Human Rights will convene a meeting of leading rights activists and forensic experts on Thursday to draw up the composition of a fact-finding team to investigate the alleged human rights abuses in East Timor following the Aug. 30 ballot.
Rights body chairman Marzuki Darusman told reporters on Wednesday that the lineup of the fact-finding team was expected to be announced on Friday.
"The complete lineup will be less than 10 people and it will consist of a number of rights body members and several independent experts," Marzuki said.
Rights body members Djoko Soegianto, H.S. Dillon, Asmara Nababan, Charles Himawan, Koesparmono Irsan and Lies Sugondo and leading rights activists Todung Mulya Lubis, Abdul Hakim Garuda Nusantara, Hendardi, Munir, Ita Fatia Nadia and forensic expert Budi Sampurno of the University of Indonesia were among individuals scheduled to attend Thursday's meeting.
Several of them are expected to be "the core members of the fact-finding mission".
Marzuki said the mission was expected to start its work early next week and complete their investigation by the end of December.
"The team will be working under strict international standards and if necessary, the identities of witnesses will not be revealed," Marzuki said.
Marzuki's comment came as Jakarta reiterated on Tuesday its rejection of an international commission of inquiry into East Timor.
The government said that it would launch its own investigation into the alleged rights abuses in the former Portuguese colony.
Marzuki has said, however, that Jakarta has a moral obligation to cooperate with the UN in its inquiry.
Leading human rights groups have also said that Jakarta's rejection of an international inquiry into East Timor was a sign of the government's reluctance to bring those who were allegedly involved in the violence to an international war crime tribunal.
Marzuki said earlier that an international tribunal would not be needed as Indonesia aims to hold its own tribunal.
He said that the request for the establishment of a national human rights tribunal was initiated by the rights body to reduce foreign intervention.
The government said on Tuesday that a draft of a government regulation in lieu of a law which would constitute the establishment of a national human rights tribunal would be ready within two days.
Marzuki said that Djoko and former judge Benjamin Mangkoedilaga, who is also a member of the rights body, were among those who were projected to be judges in the national rights tribunal.
International human rights watchdogs have said that several high-ranking officers of the Indonesian Military (TNI) were allegedly involved the violence. (byg/33)