RI, E. Timor to discuss Truth and Friendship Commission
Adianto P. Simamora, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda will meet with his East Timorese counterpart Ramos Horta in Bali on Tuesday to discuss the planned joint Truth and Friendship Commission, an official said on Monday.
Marty Natalegawa, Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman, said the meeting was aimed at following up a recent agreement regarding the establishment of a commission to deal with human rights violations in 1999 in East Timor.
"They will particularly discuss the terms of reference for the Truth and Friendship Commission," Marty told The Jakarta Post.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and East Timorese President Xanana Gusmao agreed to the creation of a Truth and Friendship Commission during a meeting in Bali in December 2004.
The decision to form the joint commission came after the UN Security Council expressed concern over Indonesia's failure to punish those responsible for the violence that followed East Timor's vote to separate from Indonesia.
An Indonesian court charged 18 people -- most from the police and military -- with human rights crimes, but 12 were acquitted and four had their sentences overturned on appeal. Two other appeals are pending.
The planned commission has been reported to UN Secretary- General Kofi Annan as an alternative to a much-debated commission of experts that Annan is considering.
Both Indonesia and East Timor have rejected the commission of experts.
The new chairman of the UN Human Rights Commission, Makarim Wibisono, welcomed the establishment of the Truth and Friendship Commission.
He said the international community was waiting to see whether the joint commission could provide justice in the rights cases.
"I think as long as the Truth and Friendship Commission can make internationally accepted results, the relevancy of the commission of experts might be eased," Makarim, an Indonesian diplomat, said during a human rights seminar in Jakarta.
East Timor's new Catholic bishop, Ricardo da Silva, opposed on Monday any deals between the leaders of East Timor and Indonesia to avoid trials for those responsible for the violence in the former Indonesian territory.
"What Kofi Annan says or not, what Timorese leaders want or not, the position of the church is the same, it's clear and firm. We need justice, justice must be done," Bishop Da Silva said as quoted by AFP.
Responding to the bishop's concern, Marty insisted that in democratic governments there would always be different views.
"As Indonesians and East Timorese, we have to find ways to put a close to our difficult past and more importantly forge a new cooperation and friendship in the future. The joint commission offers a precious opportunity for that," he said.