UN indicts Wiranto for 1999 East Timor crimes
UN indicts Wiranto for 1999 East Timor crimes
Agencies, Jakarta
The United Nations indicted on Tuesday former Indonesian Military
chief Gen. (ret) Wiranto, along with six other high-ranking
officers and East Timor's ex-governor for crimes against humanity
during the territory's bloody independence vote in 1999.
"The accused have all been charged with crimes against
humanity for murder, deportation and persecution," Associated
Press quoted a UN statement issued in the East Timor capital of
Dili on Tuesday.
The statement said the alleged crimes "were all undertaken as
part of a widespread or systematic attack directed against the
civilian population of East Timor and specifically targeting
those who were believed to be supporters of independence for East
Timor".
Wiranto has long been considered by some the person most
responsible for the bloodletting that swept the former Indonesian
territory when its citizens voted for independence in a UN-
sponsored referendum.
The Indonesian government, legal experts and lawyers, however,
dismissed the indictment against the officers and the former East
Timor governor, most of whom have been tried by an Indonesian ad
hoc human rights court for the same charges.
The indictment also charges six officers who were responsible
for security in East Timor and ex-governor Abilio Jose Osorio
Soares with funding, training and arming pro-Jakarta militias
that joined the Indonesian Military in killing nearly 2,000
people and forcing 250,000 Timorese to flee their homes before
and after the referendum.
Along with Wiranto, those indicted are Maj. Gen. Zacky Anwar
Makarim, Maj. Gen. Kiki Syahnakri, Maj. Gen. Adam Rachmat Damiri,
Col. Suhartono Suratman, Col. Mohammad Noer Muis, Lt. Col. Yayat
Sudrajat and Soares.
Several of those indicted on Tuesday are among the 18 military
and police officers who have faced trial in Jakarta for their
alleged involvement in the violence. Soares has been sentenced to
three years, but remains free on appeal, while Damiri and
Suratman's trials are still ongoing. Sudrajat has been cleared of
all charges.
Tuesday's indictment accuses the men of involvement in 280
killings in 10 separate attacks, including a church massacre in
Liquica, an attack on a rally in Dili and an attack on a church
compound in Dili.
The Jakarta Post reported from Kuala Lumpur that Indonesian
Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda denounced the
indictment, saying the UN had no international jurisdiction to
try non-East Timorese citizens.
"The court that deals with past human rights abuses in East
Timor is basically a national process and not at all an
international tribunal ... they do not have international
jurisdiction. Legally they do not have the capacity to reach non-
East Timorese citizens," Hassan said on the sidelines of the Non-
Aligned Movement summit in the Malaysian capital.
The minister called on the UN and East Timor to respect the
ongoing rights trials taking place in Jakarta.
"I think the legal process taking place in East Timor has
limitations. It is not an issue for us," Hassan remarked.