Subject: PBHI: ABRI is subverting the Indonesian
Govt
Date: Sat, 24 Apr 1999 10:27:36 -0400
From: tapol@gn.apc.org (TAPOL)PBHI: ABRI is subverting Indonesian Government policy
[Summary only, not a full transation.]
PBHI, the Indonesian Legal Aid and Human Rights Institute, issued a statement on 19
April calling on President Habibie to take strong action to halt the acts of violence in
East Timor which should include appropriate legal action against ABRI commander, General
Wiranto for choosing to do nothing about the para military actions against the civilian
population.
The President should realise that his highly praised policy towards East Timor is being
subverted by his own armed forces. In these circumstances, he needs a new commander who
not only has the necessary powers of leadership and vision but above all is willing to
implement his policy.
The international community knows very well that the para-militaries have been armed by
the armed forces who have allowed them to continue their activities with impunity.
According to reports that we have, security forces have stood by or not been present while
acts of violence were being perpetrated.
This proves that the armed forces are pursuing a bloodthirsty policy of divide and rule
towards the people of East Timor which is placing in jeopardy the peaceful process
providing for a UN-supervised ballot to accept or reject the offer of 'wide-ranging
autonomy'.
This bloodthirsty adventure has been launched at a time when the world's attention is
focused on the conflict in Kosovo, which only goes to show that the campaign has been
carefully planned, and is intended to sabotage the policy adopted by the supreme commander
of the armed forces.
It should be noted that the bloody conflicts did not commence with the statement issued
on 5 April by CNRT president, XananaGusmao who called on his people to defend themselves
against the bloody actions of the pro-integration militias. The warlike atmosphere had
already been created before that by the para militaries who, not long after the Indonesian
government announced its policy of allowing the East Timorese to choose between autonomy
and independence, declared their policy of 'autonomy or war'.
PBHI called on President Habibie to pave the way for the presence of UN peace-keeping
troops in East Timor to prevent conflicts between Timorese groups which are leading to
ever more casualties. ABRI cannot be an impartial force in this conflict. The presence of
UN forces is the only choice if President Habibie is compelled to admit that he cannot
exert the necessary authority to control his own armed forces.
The statement was signed by Hendardi, chair of the Executive Board of PBHI
TAPOL, the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign 111 Northwood Road, Thornton Heath, Surrey
CR7 8HW, UK Phone: 0181 771-2904 Fax: 0181 653-0322 email: tapol@gn.apc.org Internet:
www.gn.apc.org/tapol Campaigning to expose human rights violations in Indonesia, East
Timor, West Papua and Aceh
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