| Subject: Indon
Govt Inquiry Blames Military for E Timor Killings
Jakarta Post December 1, 1999
TNI blamed for East Timor killings
JAKARTA (JP): A government-sanctioned
inquiry said on Wednesday that the Indonesian Military (TNI) was directly
or indirectly involved in extra- judicial executions in the ravaged
territory of East Timor after the Aug. 30 self-determination ballot.
The Commission for the Investigation of
Human Rights Abuses in East Timor said in an interim report that it had
found evidence suggesting that the extra-judicial killings in East Timor
were perpetrated by prointegration militias and military personnel.
The commission said it had found
documents pointing to Jakarta's role in the campaign of terror and
destruction.
It said that it had also collected
reports that 10 women were raped in the East Timor capital of Dili and 50
more outside of Dili following the UN-sponsored ballot.
Following the ballot, which resulted in
an overwhelming vote against Jakarta's offer for wider autonomy, armed
pro-Indonesia thugs went on the rampage, killing people, forcing mass
evacuations and destroying and setting fire to buildings throughout East
Timor.
The commission was set up by then
president B.J. Habibie in September after his government rejected
international calls for a UN inquiry into the September violence which
could lead to war crime tribunals for Indonesian Military leaders. The
team has until this month to complete its report.
The UN inquiry team began its work in
Dili last week but its members said they have had difficulties obtaining
Indonesian visas to come to Jakarta.
Chairman of the commission Albert
Hasibuan said the Indonesian Military was involved in an attack on Nossa
Senhora de Fatima Church in Suai on Sept. 6 which killed at least 26
people, including three Catholic priests.
"Witnesses said that Indonesian
security personnel were seen shooting at refugees seeking shelter in the
church," Albert, who returned from East Timor last week, told a news
conference.
On Thursday, the commission dug out 26
bodies, believed to be the victims of the attack, from three mass graves
at Oeluli beach in East Nusa Tenggara, some 20 kilometers southwest of
Suai or three kilometers from the East Timor border.
Albert said the commission had also found
the remains and skulls of other victims around the church.
"With regard to the massacre in
Suai, the commission has found evidence that TNI was directly involved in
the shootings, and we also found evidence that TNI and the police were
involved in concealing the evidence of the killings," Albert said.
The military has also allegedly been
involved in the attack on a group of nuns and civilians in the eastern
town of Los Palos on Sept. 25, which killed at least nine people including
an Indonesian journalist, Agus Mulyawan, he said.
"The attack was perpetrated by Team
Alfa militia which was led by Joni Marques. One of the perpetrators has
told the commission that Team Alfa militia was set up, trained and armed
by a TNI unit," Albert said.
TNI leaders have rejected allegations
that it had supported or armed the pro-Indonesia militia in the
scorched-earth campaign.
The commission said, however, based on
the facts on the ground and testimony from witnesses, non-governmental
organizations and staff of the United Nations Mission in East Timor
(UNAMET), it was difficult to deny links between the militias and TNI.
"The commission has received reports
from various sources that TNI and National Police officers were present in
a series of meetings between militia leaders to discuss plans to attack
proindependence supporters.
"Reports from non-governmental
organizations, UN civilian police and UNAMET staff showed that in almost
every militia attack, security forces were not doing enough to prevent the
attacks from continuing," Albert said. Albert said the commission
would summon a number of military officers, including Gen. Wiranto, who
was the TNI commander and defense minister when the ballot was held in
East Timor, to question them on the outbreak of violence in the territory.
Wiranto is now coordinating minister for
political affairs and security.
Albert said Wiranto would be summoned in
mid-December.
"The commission has subpoena power,
so if the military generals refuse to appear before the commission, we
will ask the police to force them to come," Albert said.
Asmara Nababan, the commission's
secretary who was present at the briefing on Tuesday, said that the
commission would also meet with the International Commission of Inquiries
on East Timor in Jakarta on Monday. (byg)
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