Witnesses say military-like people buries Suai victims
Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Police witnesses testifying in the ongoing Human Rights Tribunal said on Tuesday that a number of people using military uniform had held a mass burial of about 27 bodies, including three Catholic priests, massacred at the St. Ave Maria Church in Suai town, Covalima regency, East Timor on Sept. 6, 1999.
They also testified that the burial at Metamauk village in Wemasa, Belu, East Nusa Tenggara, was held in the presence of former Suai military commander Lt. Col. Sugito -- one of the five defendants accused of committing gross human rights violations.
First Inspector Sudarminto, former company commander of the East Nusa Tenggara's Mobile Police, said that he came to the grave site after being informed by his subordinate, Brig. Julius Basabai, that a convoy of several cars driven by military personnel had passed their territory in Wemasa.
"I, along with my subordinates, arrived at the location a few minutes later. But suddenly, an unidentified man wearing a military uniform came and asked me not to go any closer to the location.
"I only heard after that it was a mass burial for about 27 East Timorese who killed in the massacre at the St. Ave Maria Church," Sudarminto said.
Tuesday's hearing was part of the ongoing trial of four mid- level military officers and one policeman accused of rights violations in the massacre at the church, where at least 27 people were killed in the attack, including Catholic priests Tarsisius Dewanto, Hilario Madeira and Francisco Soares.
Sugito, along with four other defendants, former Covalima regent Col. Herman Sedyono, former Suai military commander Lt. Col. Liliek Koeshadianto, former Suai military command's chief of staff Capt. Achmad Syamsuddin, and former Suai Police precinct chief Lt. Col. Gatot Subiaktoro are charged with violating Articles 7, 9, 37 and 42 of Law No. 26/2000 on human rights violations.
The crimes carry sentences ranging from 10 years imprisonment to death.
Asked whether the uniform was only worn by military personnel, Sudarminto said: "All that I know is that only military personnel wear uniforms with stripes."
Meanwhile, Julius Basabai, former chief of Metamauk Police Station, said that he saw a number of people wearing military uniform in three cars, including a truck, pass his location from Suai, East Timor, at about 8 a.m.
"I followed them after reporting it to my superior (Sudarminto) and I observed these people bury about 27 people there, while Pak Sugito watched."
During the trial, Basabai seemed to be inconsistent in his own testimony, as sometimes he admitted that he saw the bodies, but later changed his statement when the defense lawyers challenged him.
When presiding judge Cicut Sutiarso questioned Basabai about his inconsistency, the latter said: "Please understand my position, Sir ... I'm thinking about my safety as everything I have told this court, could pose a threat to my life. I also came from Belu ... far away from here with only a few cents."
Another witness First Insp. Philipus Kanakaja confirmed all physical evidence that had been presented to the court, including two window blinds belonging to the church, that "had been used to cover the bodies of three Catholic priests."
"I came to the location after receiving information from my subordinates. Just as I arrived there (Metamauk village), I held a dialog with an unidentified man wearing a military uniform and asked him why they were holding a burial. I saw blood from the corpses that had been covered by clothes," Kanakaja said.
"From this man, I learned that the bodies were victims of the St. Ave Maria massacre," Kanakaja added.
The hearing was adjourned until May 15.