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DATE=11/25/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=EAST TIMOR - HUMAN RIGHTS (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-256528
BYLINE=PATRICIA NUNAN
DATELINE=JAKARTA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: A human rights team from the United Nations has 
arrived in East Timor. Patricia Nunan reports from 
Jakarta, the team is to investigate atrocities 
committed when anti-independence militias rampaged 
through the territory in September.
TEXT: The leader of the United Nations investigation 
team says its main task is to talk to the people of 
East Timor. Costa Rican jurist Sonia Picado says it is 
too soon to say whether the group's investigations 
into alleged atrocities will lead to the establishment 
of an international war crimes tribunal. 
The team will look into whether pro-Jakarta militias 
or Indonesian military officials committed crimes 
against humanity in the territory.
The team, which includes members from Nigeria, India, 
Papua New Guinea and Germany, will report to the U-N 
Secretary General by the end of December.
Indonesia has rejected the U-N inquiry and established 
its own human rights investigation.  
Ms. Picado, now in the East Timorese capital Dili, 
says the group also wishes to visit neighboring West 
Timor, where tens of thousands of East Timorese 
refugees are still living in camps.
East Timor's refugee crisis was sparked after armed 
anti-independence militia groups went on a campaign of 
killing and destruction throughout the territory in 
September. The violence started after it was announced 
that most East Timorese people had voted for the 
territory to separate from Indonesia.
Human rights groups say the militias received weapons 
and support from the Indonesian military. They also 
say that some Indonesian soldiers even participated in 
the violence -- a charge that the Indonesian military 
denies. 
Hundreds of people are believed to have died during 
the rampage, while roughly half a million people fled 
their homes. 
Aid workers say many of the East Timorese refugees 
still in West Timor are afraid to return home because 
of continued intimidation by the militias. 
The Indonesian Armed Forces rejects that allegation. 
NEB/PN/FC/PLM 
25-Nov-1999 06:08 AM EDT (25-Nov-1999 1108 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.