Laksamana.Net March 18, 2002

also: Defense minister holds meeting with TNI over East Timor trial

Buyung Quits Military Defense Team: Report

Senior lawyer Adnan Buyung Nasution has resigned from a team of attorneys representing senior military officials accused of responsibility for gross human rights violations in East Timor and elsewhere, a report said Monday (18/3/02).

The Jakarta Post reported that Buyung conveyed his resignation Monday during a meeting between the military's legal team and Defense Minister Matori Abdul Djalil at the Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI) headquarters in East Jakarta.

Trials started in Jakarta last week for two of 18 suspects accused of responsibility for the carnage that occurred in East Timor ahead of and after the territory's 1999 vote to secede from Indonesia. Another trial is due to start Tuesday.

Among those attending Mondays' meeting were Matori, Buyung, TNI deputy spokesman Brigadier General Tono Suratman, former East Timor governor Abilio Jose Osorio Soares, former Udayana military commander Major General Adam Damiri and East Timor pro-integration militia leader Eurico Guterres.

Buyung, a founder of the respected Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (LBH), has been widely criticized by human rights groups ever since he joined the military's defense team. He is expected to make a statement on his resignation on Tuesday.

The report said TNI commander Admiral Widodo Adisutjipto and Army chief General Endriartono Sutarto would attend Tuesday's trial session to offer moral support to the military/police officers charged with responsibility for the East Timor mayhem.

[sent earlier today]

The Jakarta Post [online] March 18, 2002

Defense minister holds meeting with TNI over East Timor trial

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Defense Matori Abdul Djalil on Monday held a closed-door meeting with officials of the Indonesian Military (TNI) headquarters on the preparation of East Timor ad hoc human rights trial which is due to take place Tuesday.

The ad hoc trial on East Timor case has began last week and would continue to be staged at the Central Jakarta District Court.

Among the 17 officials and figures that joined the Monday meeting at the office of Ministry of Defense were lawyer Adnan Buyung Nasution, TNI deputy spokesman Brig. Gen. Tono Suratman, former East Timor governor Abilio Jose Osorio Soares, former Udayana military commander Maj. Gen. Adam Damiri and East Timor pro-integration leader Eurico Gueterres.

The session was closed for media coverage, but it was reported that in the meeting, lawyer Adnan Buyung Nasution conveyed his resignation from the defense team.

It was said that Adnan would give an official press conference about the matter on Tuesday.

Adnan, one of the founders and patron of the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (LBH), reportedly has been under pressure as fellow activists criticized him for being one of the military's defending lawyers.

It was also reported that TNI chief Adm. Widodo A.S. and Army Chief of Staff Gen. Endriartono Sutarto would attend Tuesday's ad hoc tribunal session in a move to give moral support for the military/police officers being tried for alleged violence following the East Timor breakaway from Indonesia in 1999.

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