Thu, 20 Apr 2000

Team set up to investigate East Timor rights abuses

JAKARTA (JP): Attorney General Marzuki Darusman swore-in a 64 member team on Wednesday to officially investigate allegations of human rights abuses following the historic Aug. 30 ballot in East Timor.

Another 15-member team of experts was also appointed to consult and review the work of the investigation.

Marzuki immediately underlined the importance of the work of the team, pointing out that not only would the nation be watching but also the whole world.

"The handling of human rights violations in East Timor is something new and sets a historical precedence in our law enforcement," he said.

"This investigation has the potential to show the international community that Indonesia has a judicial system and law enforcement that can uphold the law," Marzuki added.

The team will have three months to report its findings, with the possibility of further three-month extensions.

The findings will became the basis for the Attorney General's Office to decide to pursue, or drop, charges against the alleged rights violators.

The investigation team comprises 38 officials from the Attorney General's Office, 10 from the Military Police, six officers from the National Police Force and 10 officials from the Home Ministry.

Deputy Attorney for Special Crimes M.A. Rachman serves as executive chairman of the team.

The team of experts comprises experts, rights activists and individuals from various fields.

Included in the team of experts are: military observer Let. Gen. (ret.) Hasnan Habib; former TNI Chief for Social Political Affairs Let. Gen. (ret.) Bambang Triantoro; legal expert and academics Loebby Loeqman, Harun Al Rasyid and Sri Soemantri; rights activists Abdul Hakim Garuda Nusantara and Luhut Pangaribuan and criminologist Adrianus Meliala.

Following the violence that occurred in Indonesia's former province last year, Jakarta has been under extreme pressure to try those regarded as being responsible for the fury that occurred.

A National Commission of Human Rights inquiry presented a report to the Attorney General's Office in February concluding that several top military officers should be held accountable for the violence including suspended coordinating minister Gen. (ret.) Wiranto.

The Attorney General's Office then followed up the report that is to be concluded by the work of the newly established team.

Initially the investigation will focus on five cases which will be considered for prosecution.

They are: an April 17 attack on proindependence leader Manuel Carrascalao's house in Dili which killed at least 12; the Sept. 6 attack at the home of Dili Bishop Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo; a massacre of refugees in a church in Liquica in April; a massacre in a church in Suai in September where at least 26 people died; and the shooting of Financial Times correspondent Sander Thoenes in the East Dili area of Becora on Sept. 21.

Apart from questioning witnesses, about half of the investigation team members are also scheduled to visit East Timor in the near future. (01)