DATE=10/15/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=U-N TIMOR INVESTIGATION (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-255086
BYLINE=LISA SCHLEIN
DATELINE=GENEVA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: The United Nations' top human-rights official
has appointed five legal and human-rights experts to
investigate alleged atrocities in East Timor. Lisa
Schlein reports the panel of investigators is expected
to go to the region next month.
TEXT: The five experts picked to lead the human-
rights investigation in East Timor cover a wide
geographical area. The chair of the team is from
Costa Rica. The other members come from Nigeria,
India, Papua New Guinea and Germany.
The United Nation's top human-rights official, Mary
Robinson, says the experts are all eminently qualified
to carry out a task which she calls demanding and very
serious, given the gravity of the alleged crimes.
/// 1st ROBINSON ACT ///
It certainly will be part of their task to
examine the serious allegations that have
already been made and are currently being made
by witnesses as they are coming forward, [the]
witnesses being refugees who have come back from
West Timor and other parts of Indonesia.
/// END ACT ///
Anti-independence militias, aided by Indonesian
soldiers went on a rampage after people in East Timor
overwhelmingly voted for independence from Indonesia
on August 30. The militias and Indonesian forces are
accused of killing thousands of civilians, looting and
destroying property and forcing hundreds of thousands
of East Timorese to flee the province.
An emergency meeting of the United Nations Human
Rights Commission agreed to establish an international
commission of inquiry. The Indonesian government says
it does not recognize the Commission. Ms. Robinson
says she intends to work in a spirit of cooperation
with the government of Indonesia. Her office says she
already is cooperating closely with Indonesia's
National Human Rights Commission.
/// 2ND ROBINSON ACT ///
I have suggested already to the chair of the
Indonesian Human Rights Commission that the Indonesian
fact-finding Commission could perhaps have particular
regard to the situation in West Timor to which they
would have immediate access.
/// END ACT ///
The panel of experts has to submit a report of its
findings to U-N Secretary-General Kofi Annan by the
end of the year. He in turn will submit the report to
the Security Council for action. Previous U-N
Commissions of inquiry have led to the establishment
of international war crimes tribunals on the former
Yugoslavia and Rwanda. (Signed)
NEB/LS/GE/WTW
15-Oct-1999 15:10 PM EDT (15-Oct-1999 1910 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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