UN team begins probe into Atambua killing

UN team begins probe into Atambua killing

DENPASAR, Bali (JP): A special team led by United Nations High
Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Inspector General Nicholas
Morris arrived here on Tuesday to begin an investigation into the
killing of three humanitarian staff members working for the
international body in Atambua, East Nusa Tenggara last month.

"Our team is probing the case by gathering information on the
background situation at the time of the incident and the causes
that led to the killing," Morris told the media after a one and a
half hour meeting with Udayana Military Commander Maj. Gen. Kiki
Syahnakri and East Nusa Tenggara Police chief Brig. Gen. Made
Mangku Pastika at Udayana Military Headquaters here.

Pastika further explained that the team would also gather
facts from witnesses of the incident.

"They (the team) is here to look for clarifications from
related military and police institutions so that everything is
transparent and clear. We have already given them the description
of the situation before and after the incident," Pastika said.

"I've also told Insp. Gen. Morris and his staff that earlier
police had given four warnings to UNHCR staff to vacate their
post since we'd heard reports of possible massive mass action
toward their office," he said.

A mob attacked the UNHCR office in Atambua early last month
allegedly after hearing the news that ex-militia leader Olivio
Moruk had been murdered the previous night by unknown assailants.

Attorney General Marzuki Darusman revealed later that elements
of the Indonesian Military (TNI) have been implicated in both the
killing of the UN relief workers and that of the militia leader.

In remembrance of last month's incident, Pastika revealed that
two police officers had been sent to evacuate the UNHCR staff
prior to the fracas.

"But the three UNHCR staff members refused to leave the
compound as they said their superior had not yet told them to
abandon their office. Because of that 'stubborn' motion the three
eventually got killed in a riot that was allegedly conducted by
former members of militias early last September," Made explained.

Refugees

On his account of the refugee issue, Maj. Gen. Kiki said
security forces had refused the UN's request to move East
Timorese refugees residing in the neighboring NTT province by
land transportation.

"The United Nations has asked for the refugees' repatriation
process to be done overland. We refused this because it's too
risky. We are thinking of moving them by plane, which is much
safer."

"Imagine, the distance between Kupang (NTT's capital) to Los
Palos in East Timor is very far and along the route there are
still many pro-independence militias roaming around. This is
dangerous as these (pro-independence) militias are likely to
treat the refugees as enemies," Kiki said.

"The planned East Timorese refugee repatriation will be
conducted for the first time after a protracted dispute in the
border of NTT and East Timor, so it must be conducted in a smooth
and secure way. If the plan fails, none of those refugees would
be willing to go back to East Timor," Kiki said.

He added that the security level in the town has been brought
back to normal.

The top security level had probably been imposed in Kupang and
Atambua because of fear that the towns were not safe enough.
(edt/zen)