RI studies report on Aussie journos' death
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)