Indonesia 'needs more time' for Timor probe

Indonesia 'needs more time' for Timor probe

GENEVA (AP): Indonesia deserves "a bit more time" to prove that it is seriously investigating those involved in last year's destruction of East Timor, the United Nations administrator of the territory said Friday.

"We're reaching the point where we can make a determination as to whether the Indonesian judiciary is or is not acting on these cases," Sergio Vieira de Mello told reporters.

"So let's give them a bit more time."

Pressure has been growing in some corners for the UN Security Council to establish an international war crimes tribunal for East Timor because Indonesia they claim had lost credibility in bringing those responsible to justice.

However the Attorney General's Office is continuing with its preparation of filing charges against 22 suspects involved in the violence.

The move is the first step in the process of bringing the defendants to court.

"What we need to determine now is whether the files of these 22 suspects will be passed on to the courts in Jakarta and whether judicial action will be taken against these individuals," Vieira de Mello said.

"National jurisdictions should always be given a chance before we look into extraordinary, exceptional jurisdictions," he added.

The Security Council in February accepted Indonesia's pledge to conduct its own inquiry and prosecute those responsible for the violence following last year's ballot in East Timor.

There is also a lingering debate on whether Indonesia can sufficiently bring those responsible to court following a constitutional amendment which inserts a non-retroactive principle.

Article 28I (1) of the newly amended constitution effectively bars anyone from being prosecuted under a newly introduced law for crimes committed in the past.

But the Indonesian House is also discussing a human rights tribunal bill, which includes the possibility of convening an ad hoc court to try human rights abuses.