| Subject: Military
chief will "allow" questioning of generals over Timor violence
Military chief will "allow"
questioning of generals over Timor violence
JAKARTA, Dec 23 (AFP) - The head of the
Indonesian armed forces (TNI) said Thursday the military had no objection
to the questioning of several of its high-ranking generals by a state
commission on violence in East Timor.
The state-backed Commission of Human
Rights Abuses in East Timoris currently seeking to question a number of
military and police leaders and former officials of the Indonesian
administration in East Timor over the post-ballot violence in the
territory in September.
Following a fact finding trip to the
territory, the commission has indirectly accused several senior army
officers of orchestrating and supporting the violence.
Asked in a press conference if he would
allow his predecessor General Wiranto and five other active generals to be
questioned by KPP HAM, military chief Admiral Widodo Adisucipto said
"in principle, the summons could be issued."
"Any requests for clarification
(from generals) can be basically made as long as they (the process of
clarification) are done in a fair, objective and balanced manner"
Adisucipto told a press conference at the military headquarters.
KPP HAM has summoned Wiranto, now
coordinating minister for political and security affairs, five other
generals and several top pro-integration militia leaders to answer
questions over their "knowledge and involvement" in the
September mayhem.
All of them failed Wednesday to appear
for questioning despite summonses the commission claimed had been issued
for that day.
Widodo added the military
"appreciates and supports any effort to uphold law and human
rights."
Pro-Indonesian militias, which the United
Nations, the KPP HAM and other observers have said were backed by elements
of the Indonesian army, went on an unchecked campaign of violence and
destruction that left most towns devastated and forced hundreds of
thousands to flee.
Wiranto however has denied allegations
the military orchestrated the violence in East Timor that followed the
September 4 announcement of the pro-independence results of the UN-held
ballot.
He said last Saturday the widespread
violence was due to "a very spontaneous, very brutal emotional
reaction from the pro-integration people after they heard of the
overwhelming defeat."
Indonesia has objected to the setting up
of a UN rights probe into the East Timor violence, saying it is capable of
investigating allegations of atrocities and human rights abuses itself and
will not be bound by the UN findings.
Commission head, Albert Hasibuan, added
the body had called for Wiranto and five other generals "to appear at
the latest by next week."
The UN panel is to report to UN Secretary
General Kofi Annan before December 31 to enable him to decide on the
necessary follow up, including whether an international war crimes
tribunal was needed.
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