RI, E. Timor to discuss Truth and Friendship Commission
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.