RI urged to support UN commission

RI urged to support UN commission

JAKARTA: International Human Rights Advocacy (HRWG), a coalition
of Indonesian non-governmental organizations, urged the
government to cooperate with three legal experts assigned by the
United Nations to investigate the failure to punish any military
officers over the violence that accompanied East Timor's
independence vote in 1999.

HRWG said in a press release on Tuesday an April 28 UN
Security Council resolution clearly stipulated that all parties
should fully cooperate with the work of the experts.

It added that by cooperating with the experts, the government
would have the opportunity formally to explain what happened with
the court proceedings against the military officers accused of
responsibility in the violence.

The HRWG said rejecting the UN resolution would only damage
Indonesia's reputation overseas.

With the alleged support of military forces, pro-Jakarta
militias killed hundreds of people in the aftermath of a UN-
organized vote in 1999 that ended Indonesia's 24-year rule in
East Timor.

In response to international pressure, the Indonesian human
rights court charged 18 people, most of them police and military
officers. Twelve were acquitted and five others had their
sentences overturned on appeal.

The Indonesian government previously refused entry to the UN
experts, saying Jakarta and Dili had already set up a commission
to investigate the violence and promote reconciliation. -- JP