Prosecutors fail to demand sentence

JAKARTA: Prosecutors have failed for a second time to demand a sentence for a senior military officer charged with gross human rights violations in East Timor in 1999.

The ad-hoc human rights tribunal postponed the hearing of former Udayana Military commander Maj. Gen. Adam Damiri for two weeks on Thursday after the prosecutors claimed they were unprepared.

Adam, who oversaw Bali, West Nusa Tenggara, East Nusa Tenggara and East Timor when the mayhem in East Timor took place, is charged with crimes against humanity for failing to prevent the bloodshed. If found guilty, he will face a minimum 10 years in jail.

On Wednesday the same court delayed the trial of former East Timor military commander Brig. Gen. Tono Suratman for the same reason.

Adam is the highest ranking of 15 military and police officers brought to trial for the violence leading up to, during and after the United Nations-sponsored referendum in East Timor in 1999. -- JP