UN rights commission adjourns in deadlock

UN rights commission adjourns in deadlock

GENEVA (Agencies): The United Nations human rights commission, which has been meeting in special session to decide whether to send an inquiry commission to East Timor, adjourned in a deadlock on Friday night and agreed to meet again on Monday.

The debate was due to wind up on Friday, but was prolonged because of differences over the text of a resolution.

The European Union stepped up its struggle to overcome resistance from Indonesia and its Asian allies to an international inquiry into alleged human rights violations in East Timor.

"Some colleagues need time for instructions from their governments," said Finnish Ambassador Pekka Huhtaniemi, speaking for the European Union (EU). "So I believe a pause would be wise."

The EU replaced a toughly worded proposal with a slightly softer version which included praise for the Jakarta government and stressed the importance of Indonesia's own National Commission on Human Rights.

But wide differences remained about an investigation of abuses -- with the EU insisting it should be internationally led with Indonesian participation and Indonesia proposing a national fact- finding mission with foreign observers.

An EU resolution called on the 53-member commission to "compile information on possible violations of human rights and acts which may constitute breaches of international humanitarian law committed in East Timor", according to an advance copy released to the media.

The European Union further stated that anybody who committed or authorized human rights violations would be held "responsible and accountable for those violations", according to the text.

But all 11 Asian nations in the commission, including Indonesia, have officially opposed the proposal. Some developing countries, such as Sudan and Cuba, also voiced opposition.

These countries stressed that Jakarta had shown its good faith by agreeing to allow UN peacekeepers into East Timor.

"Any formula which will not recognize and add value to the effort of the Indonesian government to find a solution to the problem in East Timor will not be acceptable," said Denis Lepatan of the Philippines.

Anxious to soothe regional sensitivities, the revised EU draft stressed that Asian countries should be involved.

It called on UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan "to establish an international commission of inquiry with adequate representation of Asian experts, in order to, in cooperation with the Indonesian National Commission on Human Rights ... gather and compile systematically information on possible violations of human rights and acts which may constitute breaches of international humanitarian law in East Timor."

UN Human Rights Commissioner Mary Robinson called on Thursday for an international inquiry into reports that pro-Indonesian militias killed East Timorese civilians.