Military accused of hiding bodies in mass graves

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)