Crimes Against Humanity Trial Postponed

Subject: LUSA: Crimes Against Humanity Trial Postponed

07 Mar 02 21:26

East Timor: Crimes Against Humanity Trial Postponed

The trial of those responsible for one of the worst massacres of September 1999 in East Timor has been postponed after defense attorneys requested more time to prepare their case.

The Serious Crimes Unit of the office of the Prosecutor General confirmed Thursday that trial relating to the Passabe massacre, that took place on the border of the Oecusse-Ambeno enclave on December 10, 1999, was being re-scheduled. The next significant date in the case is a pre-trial hearing on April 11.

Only one of the 11 indicted in the case, Florenço Tacaqui of the Sakunar militia, is currently detained. Eight other militiamen and two Indonesian Army NCOs remain at large.

Australian peacekeeping troops discovered mass graves around Passabe in 2000 and UN investigators estimated about 75 people were killed in the massacre.

Passabe one of ten priority cases of crimes against humanity that investigators are foccusing on.

CJB -Lusa-

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