Team set up to investigate East Timor rights abuses
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)
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)