Military accused of hiding bodies in mass graves

ATAMBUA, East Nusa Tenggara (JP): An Indonesian investigation team on alleged rights abuses in East Timor suggested on Friday that a middle-ranking army officer was responsible for removing and hiding 26 bodies in a mass grave near the East Timor border.

"Witnesses' accounts have made identifying the perpetrators easier, and we have reached the point where the commission already has the names of those allegedly involved in Suai, including a middle-ranking officer who was reportedly seen at the scene when the church was attacked by Laksaur militias," Munir, a member of the Commission for Investigation of Human Rights Abuses in East Timor, told The Jakarta Post.

He refused to disclose the names of those allegedly involved, but said the officer was involved in "organizing the disposal of the bodies".

"Witnesses said the bodies were transported to the grave site using trucks and military vehicles," Munir said.

The Commission discovered on Thursday three hidden mass graves on Oeluli beach, about three kilometers from the East Timor border.

The 26 bodies are believed to be victims of a pro-integration militia attack on a church in the East Timor town of Suai in early September. The victims include three Catholic priests.

Munir, on a nine day fact-finding mission with commission member H.S. Dillon and a team of forensic experts led by the University of Indonesia's Budi Sampurna, said that the 26th body was found on Friday morning.

Munir said the body of an adult male was found in the third grave in the morning, adding that eight of the 26 remains have been identified as women.

Budi told the Post the forensic team was "90 percent sure" the victims died of bullet and knife wounds.

The priests were identified as Dewanto from Central Java along with Hilario Modeira and Fransisco from East Timor.

"Priest Dewanto could be identified because we have his medical records from Panti Rapih hospital in Yogyakarta with us, while the other two from their personal belongings," Budi said.

All 26 bodies were handed to the International Committee of the Red Cross in Atambua on Friday afternoon to be taken to Dili.

Meanwhile in Jakarta, Indonesian Military (TNI) spokesman Maj. Gen. Sudrajat denied allegations of the military's involvement, saying "there was no such official operation by the TNI".

"If it is confirmed by eye witnesses, I need it to be clarified. Send it to the TNI, give us details on when, where, who are the TNI members (allegedly involved) and what they were doing there and then TNI would verify it," Sudrajat told the Post.

Separately in Jakarta, chairman of the National Commission on Human Rights Marzuki Darusman underlined the seriousness of the issue.

"The report has far reaching consequences and needs to be reported to the President. We will be making recommendations for intensive investigations into the matter," Marzuki said.

"We will insist that not only the people who executed the orders be charged with rights violations, but also ranking officers who are directly and indirectly responsible for this tragedy," he told the Post.(bay/byg/emf)