Trial on Eurico over East Timor mayhem starts

JAKARTA (JP): The trial of East Timor prointegration militia leader Eurico Guterres got underway at the North Jakarta District Court on Tuesday.

The defendant is alleged to have encouraged his followers to take back firearms they had turned over to the police.

Chief prosecutor Hamka Minhadj accused Eurico of violating Article 1, Paragraph 1 and Article 55, Paragraph 1 of the Criminal Code, and Emergency Law No. 12/1951 on the illegal possession of weapons.

"The defendant ordered his men to take back weapons they had surrendered to the Belu Police in East Nusa Tenggara during a weapons disarmament ceremony which was attended by Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri on Sept. 24, 2000," Hamka read from the indictment during the hearing presided over by judge Suwardi.

The disarmament of militias was part of Jakarta's response to United Nations Security Council Resolution 1319 on disarming and disbanding East Timorese prointegration fighters following an attack in Atambua district on Sept. 6 which left three UN aid workers dead.

According to the investigation of the Sept. 24 incident, Eurico came to the police station to attend the disarmament ceremony, but was asked to speak with the East Nusa Tenggara Police chief and the operations assistant to the National Police chief in the office of the Belu Police intelligence chief.

When the conversation finished, the defendant discovered that the ceremony had ended.

The prosecutor said Eurico became furious because he wanted to preside over the ceremony. "He then ordered his men to take back their surrendered weapons."

The men succeeded in retrieving 15 of 19 weapons laid out on a desk in the police station, despite being ordered to surrender the weapons by officer Deni Mardani.

Hamka said Eurico also could be charged with Article 160 of the Criminal Code for instigating a crime against the government, and Article 212 of the Criminal Code for refusing to obey an officer.

Attired in a military fatigues and a red-and-white scarf, Eurico responded to the prosecutor's charges by saying he understood only part of the indictment.

The hearing, which began at 10:30 a.m. and ended 35 minutes later, was emotionally charged, with dozens of Eurico supporters from the Front for a United Indonesia interrupting the session with chants of "Long Live Eurico".

Upon the completion of the hearing, Eurico was escorted out of the tightly guarded courtroom by his supporters.

"I'm an Indonesian citizen ... why should I go back to East Timor?" the 27-year-old father of three told journalists.

Thousands of East Timorese have taken refuge in the neighboring province of East Nusa Tenggara following the UN- sponsored direct ballot on Aug. 30, 1999. Many have expressed their desire and intention to return to their homes.

Eurico is currently being detained at Salemba Penitentiary in Central Jakarta.

Eurico's lawyer Suhardi Somomoeljono attempted to postpone the trial by objecting to the venue, saying it would be difficult for him to present defense witnesses, most of whom reside in East Nusa Tenggara.

"Who will pay for the 10 witnesses to travel (to Jakarta) to testify for the defendant? This must first be made clear before the indictment is read," he said before the hearing began.

The panel of judges, however, rejected Suhardi's objection, saying the matter would be considered when the court prepared to call witnesses.

Suhardi later told journalists he had submitted a letter to the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights asking the government to pay to fly the witnesses to Jakarta and house them.

Judge Suwardi adjourned the hearing until next week, when the court will hear a statement from the defense. (bby)