RI studies report on Aussie journos' death

JAKARTA (JP): The government said yesterday it was "carefully studying" a report alleging its troops killed five Australian journalists in East Timor in 1975.

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ali Alatas, said the Australian Government's report, on initial inspection, contained no new evidence. He also maintained that Canberra has not demanded an official reply from Jakarta on the report.

He said there was nothing in the report which gave new light on whether the Australian journalists were killed by Indonesian troops.

"We are still studying the report, but based on what I have read and my observation thus far there is not even a preliminary item or a shred of evidence to change what we have been saying to them (Australia) for the past 20-years," Alatas told the press.

Canberra last week issued a report by a commission re- examining the deaths of the journalists in East Timor.

After a six-month inquiry, the government commission issued a report alleging that five television newsmen were probably killed by Indonesian troops in Balibo, East Timor on Oct. 16, 1975. The commission was headed by Tom Sherman, a former Australian National Crime Authority chairman.

The five journalists were Gary J. Cunningham, Greg J. Shackleton, Tony Stewart, Malcolm Harvie Rennie and Brian Peters.

A freelance journalist, Roger East, was allegedly executed by Indonesian troops in Dili two months later.

Crossfire

The government says they were caught in crossfire during the civil war raging in East Timor, before it was integrated into Indonesia in 1976.

Though nearly two-decades have passed, the journalist's deaths continue to be a thorny issue plaguing Indonesia's and Australia's often rocky relationship.

The report is the first time that Canberra has officially refuted Jakarta's claims that it was not responsible for the deaths.

Alatas said the report acknowledges that some of the testimonies obtained by the commission were contradictory.

He underlined the report's acknowledgement that the prevailing situation at the time in East Timor was war.

He noted that it was difficult for the commission to find witnesses, something which the report admits.

Alatas also quoted an excerpt from the report: "These were not circumstances conducive to direct unambiguous and unbiased evidence. It was not surprising that much of the evidence on Balibo is hearsay and inconsistent."

When asked if Canberra had asked Jakarta to respond to the findings, Alatas said there was no such request: "No, we weren't asked but maybe we will issue a statement, maybe."

He added that there were no demands for Jakarta to officially comment: "They just expressed that if there was anything more we knew they would be happy to hear from us." (mds)