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)