Timorese leader says amnesty only "after justice is done" BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; May 27, 2001

Source: RDP Antena 1 radio, Lisbon, in Portuguese 1500 gmt 26 May 01

Text of report by Portuguese radio on 26 May

[Presenter] After several attempts and meetings, reconciliation in Timor has finally made some progress. In the three-day summit mediated by Baucau Bishop D. Basilio do Nascimento, it was decided that pro-independence (sic) leaders will be allowed to participate in the forthcoming elections, which are expected to take place on 30 August [2001]. Talking about a rumoured amnesty, Jose Ramos Horta [vice-president of the National Council of the Timorese Resistance and Nobel Peace laureate in 1996] said that those who have committed crimes will have to be submitted to justice.

[Horta] All the Timorese political parties represented in the CNRT [the National Council of the Timorese Resistance] were present [in the summit] and delivered their statements, in which they expressed their agreement to accept and to ask everyone to return [to East Timor], in which they said to be in favour of justice and reconciliation, of truth and reconciliation. Those from the interior [as received] have accepted the issues raised by the parties, although they have raised some questions concerning the administration of justice: they would prefer an amnesty. Obviously, no one has the power or responsibility to talk about an amnesty. This issue is the responsibility of an elected body, either the parliament or the president of the republic, in case the [future] constitution gives him power to decree an amnesty. However, an amnesty [would be feasible] only after justice is done, after the truth is established.

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