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.