Associated Press January 20, 2000

Indonesia Genls' Lawyers In East Timor To Gather Evidence

DILI, East Timor (AP)--The lawyers representing six top Indonesian military and police generals arrived in East Timor Thursday to examine evidence that allegedly implicates the generals in human rights abuses.

The lawyers also wanted to speak with witnesses to alleged atrocities in the former Indonesian province. But none agreed to speak with them when approached by the U.N.

The generals had been implicated in the atrocities in the island nation by an investigation carried out by the Indonesian National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM), which took testimony from witnesses in East Timor and Indonesia.

The former Portuguese colony was terrorized and mostly destroyed by pro-Jakarta militia after they lost a referendum in August last year to supporters of independence from Indonesia.

A report by Komnas HAM's special investigation into the violence in East Timor said it had found evidence that Indonesian military members were involved in or had prior knowledge about the campaign of terror.

Among the generals implicated in the campaign by Komnas HAM is Gen. Wiranto, the Indonesian military chief at the time of the violence and now the coordinating minister of political affairs and security.

The others are Maj. Gen. Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, Maj. Gen. Adam Damiri, Maj. Gen. Zacky Anwar Makarim, Brig. General Tono Suratman and police Brig. Gen. Timbul Silaen.

The defense team will meet with United Nations officials, as well as church leaders and human rights investigators during their four-day visit to East Timor.

They will also go to the sites of many of the alleged atrocities in an attempt to gather evidence.

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