DATE=3/27/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=INDONESIA / HUMAN RIGHTS (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-260643
BYLINE=BRONWYN CURRAN
DATELINE=JAKARTA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: A delegation of Indonesian lawyers and
human rights groups are on its way to Geneva, to
urge the United Nations to set up an
international tribunal for those responsible for
atrocities last year in East Timor. Bronwyn
Curran reports from Jakarta, the delegation will
deliver a plea on Tuesday to the 56th session of
the U-N's Human Rights Commission.
TEXT: The delegation's message is a direct
contrast to the stance of Indonesia's government,
on trials of those accused of atrocities during
East Timor's painful transition to independence.
In the face of widespread calls for an
international tribunal, President Abdurrahman
Wahid earlier this year succeeded in persuading
the United Nations to hold off and to allow
Indonesia to conduct its own trials.
An inquiry by Indonesia's own Human Rights
Commission has recommended 33 members of the
country's military -- including former armed
forces chief General Wiranto -- be tried for
their role in killings and destruction in the
breakaway island territory.
But while Jakarta's Attorney General Marzuki
Darusman has announced plans to form a team to
mount prosecutions, any trials are still a long
way off. Indonesia still has no law on which to
base the trials and the national parliament is
yet to debate -- let alone approve -- a revised
bill on setting up a special human rights court
in which to conduct the hearings.
Indonesia's Legal Aid and Human Rights
Association Vice President Rachland Nasidik says
he will tell the Geneva Human Rights Commission
that Indonesian authorities have shown they are
incapable of bringing those responsible to
Justice.
///NASIDIK ACT///
In Indonesian we say that they are very `lelat',
they are very slow, but finally they made a step
forward by declaring a plan to establish the team
of independent prosecutors to investigate the
case. But unfortunately this plan to make the
team is suffering two conditions: first, lack of
impartiality, because they still include, want to
include the Puspom, I mean the military police,
and also we don't have the law, so the question
which law, which norm, would be used to
investigate those perpetrators?
///END ACT///
Mr. Nasidik says a lack of judicial independence
in Indonesia is another reason the international
community must be involved in trials of those
accused of East Timor atrocities.
Meanwhile, Mr. Nasidik's Association and a second
legal aid group are refusing requests from the
Attorney-General to join the team assigned to
lead prosecutions. Both organizations say they
will boycott the team, unless military and police
representatives are removed.
NEB/BC/FC
27-Mar-2000 05:20 AM EDT (27-Mar-2000 1020 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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