World awaits East Timor trial: UN

World awaits East Timor trial: UN

JAKARTA (JP): UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan applauded on
Tuesday the Indonesian government's actions to investigate rights
violations in East Timor, but stressed that the world is watching
to see if a credible prosecution of those responsible would
occur.

"I think what we would want to see is that those who are
accused of crimes committed in East Timor are brought to trial
and are made accountable," said Annan who arrived here for three-
day visit on Tuesday.

Speaking to journalists after meeting with Foreign Minister
Alwi Shihab, the United Nations chief said Indonesia had so far
demonstrated its determination to prosecute those found guilty.

"If the government is mounting a credible trial and
prosecuting these people, I suspect the Security Council will not
rush to set up their competing international tribunal," he said.

Members of the UN security council would "obviously be keeping
their eyes on developments and ... see what is happening," Annan
said.

Annan arrived here a day after President Abdurrahman Wahid
formally suspended former Indonesian military chief Gen. Wiranto
from his post as coordinating minister for political affairs and
security.

The government-sanctioned inquiry on East Timor (KPP HAM)
implicated Wiranto and 32 military and civilian officials as
being responsible for the violence that erupted in the run up and
after the Aug. 30 ballot in East Timor.

Attorney general Marzuki Darusman has said he hopes to be able
to determine within two or three weeks who of those named by KPP
HAM should stand trial.

Annan praised the government in its efforts to "ensure that
there is a law to prosecute these people so that it would be a
deterrent to future perpetrators of such crimes."

He said that during the one-hour meeting with Shihab, the two
had discussed a wide range of issues including Indonesia's
"current economic and financial reforms."

"We talked about the human rights commission report and the
follow up action that the government has given to it," he said.

Earlier after landing at Soekarno-Hatta Airport, Annan
stressed that "what is important is that we have engaged in the
judicial process".

He said he was "personally very pleased" by the government's
steps toward ensuring that those responsible "be made accountable
and will be brought to trial."

Annan's arrival was greeted by protests earlier in the day as
some 100 people hurled stones at the UN compound in Central
Jakarta accusing him of being a puppet of Western countries.

The protesters threw stones, eggs and tomatoes at the UN
office protesting the visit and blaming the UN for Indonesia's
loss of East Timor last year.

At least one person was injured in the ensuing melee as police
tried to control the crowd.

Annan also met on Tuesday with chairman of the People's
Consultative Assembly Amien Rais and speaker of the House of
Representatives Akbar Tandjung .

On Wednesday he is due to meet with Defense Minister Juwono
Sudarsono, President Abdurrahman, Vice President Megawati
Soekarnoputri, chairman of the National Commission on Human
Rights Djoko Soegianto and Marzuki.

Praise for President Abdurrahman's suspension of Wiranto also
came from the United States on Monday.

"This action reflects President Wahid's government's intention
to seriously address charges against individuals alleged to be
responsible for human rights abuses in East Timor," State
Department spokesman James Rubin was quoted by Reuters as saying
from Washington.

"It is a significant step forward in the development of
democracy and the rule of law in Indonesia after decades of
authoritarian rule and ignoring these key values," he added.

Coup

In the latest follow-up to KPP HAM's report, the Attorney
General's office on Tuesday established a special team to examine
the findings of the inquiry.

Attorney General's office spokesperson Soehandoyo said the
team's findings will be used as a reference for the office's
joint inquiry team with the military and the police.

The team comprises of 35 people led by Deputy Attorney General
for Intelligence Yusuf Kertanegara and Deputy Attorney General
for General Crimes A. Rahman.

"Up to now there is no time limit given. But it will likely
take a long time to examine the approximately 4,000 documents
submitted," Soehandoyo explained.

While Wiranto's saga filled the headlines of all local media
here, the former military chief on Tuesday kept a low profile
speaking only to radio station M97.

During the interview Wiranto suggested that if there were
certain military officers "whispered" to Abdurrahman to change
his mind and suspend him, the truth would be revealed.

Commenting on previous rumors of a coup, Wiranto boasted that
if he wanted he had several opportunities to launch one in the
past.

He revealed that he was given a direct written presidential
order under then President Soeharto in 1998 which gave him
authority to safeguard the state for the sake of national
interest, which could have been a pretext to a coup.

Another opportunity was the Special Session of the People's
Consultative Assembly in 1999 when the TNI were in force to
secure the proceedings.

When still pressed further over the coup issue, Wiranto
retorted: "Do you think Wiranto is that kind of man?"

Indonesian Intelligence Coordinating Board chief Lt. Gen.
(ret.) Arie J. Kumaat separately said here on Tuesday that he
does not expect any security fallout as a result of Wiranto's
suspension.

"There will be no problem because the military threw its
weight behind the president's decision to suspend him," he said.
(01/04/byg/jun/rms)