TNI blamed for East Timor killings

TNI blamed for East Timor killings

JAKARTA (JP): A government-sanctioned inquiry said on
Wednesday that the Indonesian Military (TNI) was directly or
indirectly involved in extra-judicial executions in the ravaged
territory of East Timor after the Aug. 30 self-determination
ballot.

The Commission for the Investigation of Human Rights Abuses in
East Timor said in an interim report that it had found evidence
suggesting that the extra-judicial killings in East Timor were
perpetrated by prointegration militias and military personnel.

The commission said it had found documents pointing to
Jakarta's role in the campaign of terror and destruction.

It said that it had also collected reports that 10 women were
raped in the East Timor capital of Dili and 50 more outside of
Dili following the UN-sponsored ballot.

Following the ballot, which resulted in an overwhelming vote
against Jakarta's offer for wider autonomy, armed pro-Indonesia
thugs went on the rampage, killing people, forcing mass
evacuations and destroying and setting fire to buildings
throughout East Timor.

The commission was set up by then president B.J. Habibie in
September after his government rejected international calls for a
UN inquiry into the September violence which could lead to war
crime tribunals for Indonesian Military leaders. The team has
until this month to complete its report.

The UN inquiry team began its work in Dili last week but its
members said they have had difficulties obtaining Indonesian
visas to come to Jakarta.

Chairman of the commission Albert Hasibuan said the Indonesian
Military was involved in an attack on Nossa Senhora de Fatima
Church in Suai on Sept. 6 which killed at least 26 people,
including three Catholic priests.

"Witnesses said that Indonesian security personnel were seen
shooting at refugees seeking shelter in the church," Albert, who
returned from East Timor last week, told a news conference.

On Thursday, the commission dug out 26 bodies, believed to be
the victims of the attack, from three mass graves at Oeluli beach
in East Nusa Tenggara, some 20 kilometers southwest of Suai or
three kilometers from the East Timor border.

Albert said the commission had also found the remains and
skulls of other victims around the church.

"With regard to the massacre in Suai, the commission has found
evidence that TNI was directly involved in the shootings, and we
also found evidence that TNI and the police were involved in
concealing the evidence of the killings," Albert said.

The military has also allegedly been involved in the attack on
a group of nuns and civilians in the eastern town of Los Palos on
Sept. 25, which killed at least nine people including an
Indonesian journalist, Agus Mulyawan, he said.

"The attack was perpetrated by Team Alfa militia which was led
by Joni Marques. One of the perpetrators has told the commission
that Team Alfa militia was set up, trained and armed by a TNI
unit," Albert said.

TNI leaders have rejected allegations that it had supported or
armed the pro-Indonesia militia in the scorched-earth campaign.

The commission said, however, based on the facts on the ground
and testimony from witnesses, non-governmental organizations and
staff of the United Nations Mission in East Timor (UNAMET), it
was difficult to deny links between the militias and TNI.

"The commission has received reports from various sources that
TNI and National Police officers were present in a series of
meetings between militia leaders to discuss plans to attack
proindependence supporters.

"Reports from non-governmental organizations, UN civilian
police and UNAMET staff showed that in almost every militia
attack, security forces were not doing enough to prevent the
attacks from continuing," Albert said.

Albert said the commission would summon a number of military
officers, including Gen. Wiranto, who was the TNI commander and
defense minister when the ballot was held in East Timor, to
question them on the outbreak of violence in the territory.

Wiranto is now coordinating minister for political affairs and
security.

Albert said Wiranto would be summoned in mid-December.

"The commission has subpoena power, so if the military
generals refuse to appear before the commission, we will ask the
police to force them to come," Albert said.

Asmara Nababan, the commission's secretary who was present at
the briefing on Tuesday, said that the commission would also meet
with the International Commission of Inquiries on East Timor in
Jakarta on Monday. (byg)