Ex-governor of East Timor queries Indonesia truth commission

08/15/2005 05:53:43 AM EDT

BBC MONITORING INTERNATIONAL REPORTS

Excerpt from report by Indonesian newspaper Media Indonesia website on 14 August

Jakarta: The former governor of East Timor, Abilio Jose Osorio Soares, has cautioned the Indonesia-East Timor Truth and Friendship Commission (KKP) to respect the decisions of legal institutions in Indonesia. However, Abilio stressed that he was prepared to fulfil a summons from the KKP to explain the incidents which occurred before, during and after the 1999 referendum. [passage omitted]

Abilio had previously been suspected of involvement in serious human rights abuses in East Timor but was acquitted by the [Indonesian] Supreme Court. [passage omitted]

Nevertheless, Abilio warned that his being summoned by the KKP was equivalent to not respecting the decisions of legal institutions in Indonesia. He suggested that if the prior rulings of legal institutions were annulled by the KKP, then the republic [of Indonesia] should be broken up. [passage omitted]

Source: Media Indonesia, Jakarta, in Indonesian 14 Aug 05

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