U.S. warns of antireform forces

U.S. warns of antireform forces

JAKARTA (JP): The United States sounded a strong warning
against domestic forces wishing to suppress democratic reform in
Indonesia, and warned the military against hindering the work of
a national inquiry investigating violence in East Timor.

In a telephone interview with Indonesian journalists here,
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Richard Holbrooke said the
whole world was watching political developments in Jakarta with
"sympathetic concern".

"We are sympathetic because we are watching a great drama, a
struggle between the voices of democracy and reform and the
process of corruption and militarism.

"This struggle will have profound effects on the future, not
only in Indonesia, but Southeast Asia and perhaps beyond," he
said during the telephone interview.

"We are seeing news reports about a (possible) military coup
in Indonesia; we would view this with the most, the greatest,
possible concern.

"I hope that these rumors are false. Any Indonesian Army
officers or any military officer thinking of military adventurism
have forgotten that we are now in the 21st century. The past can
not be repeated, that damage to Indonesia would be unbelievable."

Holbrooke, who currently holds the rotating presidency of the
UN Security Council, discussed at length the need for
accountability for the violence which occurred in East Timor
following the Aug. 30 self-determination referendum there.

He repeatedly expressed his support for President Abdurrahman
Wahid and Attorney General Marzuki Darusman's attempts to reveal
the truth behind the violence, and accused the military of
attempting to thwart the work of the Commission of Inquiry into
Human Rights Violation in East Timor.

He said attempts on the part of some segments of the military
to deny accountability and the continued obstruction of the
investigation "greatly trouble us".

He warned that if such obstruction continued "international
pressure for accountability to an international commission,
notably the commission that (UN Human Rights Commissioner) Mary
Robinson set up, will increase dramatically".

Following calls for the establishment of an international
tribunal following the post-ballot violence in East Timor, the
Indonesian government formed a domestic inquiry, saying that
those responsible for the violence should be tried in Indonesia.

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan this week reportedly began
reviewing a report by a special UN commission looking into the
violence in East Timor.

Final recommendations from the UN could include the
establishment of an international tribunal.

Holbrooke said "it is our strong preference" that the process
of accountability be held internally (in Indonesia).

"However, I can just tell you if there is any inability to
deal with this internally, the international pressure for an
intentional inquiry that goes beyond the current commission of
inquiry will absolutely increase," he said.

Holbrooke said "if the people in the military continue to
oppose (the domestic inquiry), they will do great damage to their
own country and bring the international pressure to a much higher
level".

Representatives of the defense team representing Indonesian
Military officers alleged to have known about or been involved in
the violence in East Timor asserted they were ready to face an
international tribunal, but said it was premature even to
consider this possibility.

Indonesia's domestic commission of inquiry has questioned
several top generals about the violence, including former
military chief Gen. Wiranto.

When asked about Indonesian generals who might be called
before a tribunal, Holbrooke said was not aware of it.

"But certain generals are trying to prevent the inquiry from
doing their work," he said.

"The main message we feel it is critical to say is that
international pressure for such an outcome will increase if the
Indonesian government is not able to pursue their own internal
inquiries; we believe this is happening.

"A huge struggle is continuing on all fronts between the
forces of progress, the future oriented democratic process of
President Wahid and Attorney General Marzuki, and the Indonesian
military, who are protecting themselves, who are refusing
accountability and openness," he said. (mds/prb)