To whom does truth belong?

To whom does truth belong?

From Rakyat Merdeka

The report on alleged human rights violations in East Timor
that the Commission of Inquiry into Human Rights Violations (KPP
HAM) in East Timor presented to the Attorney General's Office
has led to much debate in the community. The Indonesian Military
(TNI) advocacy team, which is led by Adnan Buyung Nasution, has
strongly opposed the report and is determined to file a lawsuit.

This sharp difference of opinion between KPP HAM and the TNI
advocacy team has only left the public confused, especially after
the names of a number civilian officials and military officers
allegedly involved in human rights violations in the territory
were announced.

Ordinary people have become confused because the two parties,
KPP HAM and the TNI advocacy team, cite various laws in defending
their findings and opinions. So it is difficult to judge to whom
the truth belongs and which of these parties is more expert in
the area of law and legislation, because both operate within the
domain of the law in exposing human rights violations.

However, as one who has no interest in the allegations of
human rights violations, I regret very much that the report by
KPP HAM mentions the names of civilian officials and military
officers allegedly involved in this case. In this way not only
are they cornered and their reputations tarnished, but the
sociopolitical situation will also become heated.

In fact, the report by KPP HAM is only a finding and is not
final in nature, because the case must be investigated by the
Attorney General's Office. It is with the substance of the report
that our regret is concerned. It is only natural, therefore, that
the TNI advocacy team has strongly protested the report.

In the meantime, if we look closely at the names of the
civilian officials and military officers allegedly involved in
human rights violations in East Timor, we will be surprised to
find that the number is quite large and that none of these
people, once posted in East Timor, could escape allegations of
human rights violations.

Are these allegations correct? None of the members of the UN
Mission in East Timor (UNAMET), the National Council for East
Timor Resistance (CNRT) or the proindependence groups have been
considered to have violated human rights, although in fact they
cannot be separated from the cases of human rights violations in
the territory. Therefore, to prove that human rights have been
violated, all parties, including KPP HAM, should consistently
uphold the judicial aspects of the case rather than the political
aspects, so that the outcome will be fair to all parties.

AGUS H.

Jakarta