BBC Summary of World Broadcasts March 08, 2000, Wednesday

Human rights body refutes plagiarism claims

Source: 'Kompas', Jakarta, in Indonesian 7 Mar 00

Jakarta: Secretary-General of the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) Asmara Nababan refuted the claims that the committee investigating human rights violations in East Timor (KPP HAM) had plagiarized a UNAMET [UN Mission in East Timor] report.

"Nababan told the press in Jakarta on Monday (6th March), "This is not true, KPP HAM does not even have a copy of the UNAMET report."

A newspaper quoting a source in the attorney-general's office claimed that the KPP HAM report contained information plagiarized from the UNAMET report. "We were in fact briefed by UNAMET about what action they had taken but we were never given any of their report content because we were not an investigating agency," he said...

BBC Summary of World Broadcasts March 07, 2000, Tuesday

Rights case may go back to national commission

Source: 'Media Indonesia', Jakarta, in Indonesian 6 Mar 00

Jakarta: After close scrutiny, it was obvious that only 30 per cent of the findings in the KPP HAM [National Commission for the Investigation of Human Rights Abuses in East Timor] report on the post ballot human rights violations in East Timor were the result of KPP HAM investigations. The remainder of the findings were plagiarized from a UNAMET [UN Assistance Mission in East Timor] report. Given this information, it would be difficult for the Attorney General's office to conduct an investigation.

An anonymous 'Media Indonesia' source said that the findings in the 4,300 page Komnas HAM [National Human Rights Commission]report indicated clearly that a some of the report comprised domestic and overseas newspaper clippings.

The source said: "How can we possibly conduct an investigation if the dossier is incomplete? All we can do is send the case back to Komnas HAM to complete the evidence in accordance with current regulations. For a criminal case to go to court, at least 60 per cent of the evidence must support it. It is not open to arbitration."

When Attorney-General Marzuki Darusman, who is attending a conference in Singapore, was contacted by 'Media Indonesia' yesterday (5th March), he said there was a possibility his office would return the case to Komnas HAM. However, he did not say when this was likely to be. He did say that if, during his analysis, he found only 30 per cent of the report came from the findings of Komnas HAM and the evidence did not support an investigation, he would not rule out the possibility of returning the report for the evidence to be completed. Marzuki reiterated that the attorney general could not manipulate a criminal case, never mind a case involving human rights abuses...