Military men deplore comments made by rights commission
Military men deplore comments made by rights commission
JAKARTA (JP): Top military officers and their legal
consultants on Friday slammed a government-sanctioned inquiry for
making biased remarks on the military's involvement in violence
in East Timor.
During a preparatory meeting between military officers who are
due to be questioned by the Commission for the Investigation of
Human Rights Abuses in East Timor, they questioned what they
called one-sided statements concerning the military's role in
East Timor.
"We expected the government-sponsored commission to work
honestly and accurately, but as we all already know, what the
commission has revealed to the public is excessive and has gone
beyond the judicial process itself," Coordinating Minister for
Political Affairs and Security Gen. Wiranto said.
Wiranto, former TNI Intelligence chief Maj. Gen. Zacky Anwar
Makarim, former East Timor Military commanders Maj. Gen. Adam
Damiri, Maj. Gen. Tono Suratman and former ministry of defense
expert staff Maj. Gen. Sjafrie Syamsuddin, gathered with their
lawyers and legal consultants here to discuss preparations for
their meeting with the inquiry later this month.
The inquiry, headed by National Commission on Human Rights
member Albert Hasibuan, has alleged that the military was either
directly or indirectly involved in violence in East Timor which
transpired following the Aug. 30 ballot.
"We have lost the territory (East Timor), lost our best sons,
caused many to become orphans and widows from the Seroja
operation, and now we are still being aspersed with these
groundless accusations," Wiranto said.
In Friday's meeting, the generals briefed their legal advisors
on their respective roles in East Timor.
The eight-hour consultation, which was described by Wiranto as
"a mere preliminary meeting or brainstorming", was held at the
newly founded Habibie Center at BNI Tower, Central Jakarta.
Also present at the closed-door meeting were military police
chief Maj. Gen. Djasri Marin and military spokesman Maj. Gen.
Sudrajat.
The 15-member legal team representing them includes big-name
lawyers such as Adnan Buyung Nasution, Ruhut Sitompul, Hotma
Sitoempoel, M. Assegaf and Hartono Mardjono.
Former minister of justice Muladi, who was not present on
Friday, has also been appointed an legal adviser.
Nasution remarked that "truth and justice have been twisted in
the case".
"There have been too many statements made by the commission
which we are afraid will form misleading public opinion. Many
have said that the our military generals are killers," he said.
Nasution further questioned the commission's authority,
including its right to summon the generals.
"Does it have the authority to summon and question these
generals? We can't let the commission shape public opinion
through sensational statements. And if later there is a trial for
these generals, this should be a closed one and its members
should not argue about that, that's the rule," he said without
elaborating.
In a separate development, the members of the commission met
Minister of Defense Juwono Sudarsono to seek his support to
"order and summon" leaders of the armed prointegration militia.
Juwono said he would pass on the request to the military chief
and the local East Timor military commander to help bring armed
militia leaders to Jakarta to testify.
"If possible, they will be in Jakarta before Christmas,"
Juwono said.
When asked whether the visit also related to the summoning of
the TNI generals, Juwono remarked that the military commanders
had already agreed to be questioned.
"Pak Wiranto has agreed to meet the commission, which I
believe will happen in the next several days," he said. (emf)