| Subject: FT: Indon
rights inquiry wants to interview Wiranto Financial
Times Tuesday November 23 1999
E TIMOR: Indonesian inquiry wants to interview Wiranto
By Diarmid O'Sullivan in Jakarta
An independent Indonesian inquiry into mass violence in
East Timor this year has said it wants to question General Wiranto, the country's former
armed forces commander, and other senior officers.
Todung Mulya Lubis, a reformist lawyer who heads the
inquiry, said there was strong evidence that the Indonesian army had worked with the
Timorese militias that terrorised civilians for months in a vain attempt to prevent the
territory opting for independence.
"It wouldn't be possible for the militia to operate
alone without being aided by elements of the (army) and police in the earth-scorching,
shootings, intimidations and killings," Mr Lubis said. Inquiry members said they
wanted to question Gen Wiranto, who has been made the co-ordinating minister for politics
and security by the new administration of President Abdurrahman Wahid.
Also on their list were three major-generals, Zaki Anwar
Makarim, Syafrie Syamsuddin and Adam Damiri. Western diplomats believe that the three
played a key role in creating and running the East Timorese militias. Indonesian troops
also took part in the violence. The death toll is already known to be in the hundreds and
could turn out to be in the thousands. Gen Wiranto has promised that the army will allow
the trial of officers for past abuses in Aceh, another rebellious region.
Western diplomats in Jakarta said they thought the
government had set up the inquiry to stave off pressure to co-operate with an
international investigation. Its members seemed sincere about investigating atrocities,
they added, though less because of East Timor than because they want to control the army's
powers throughout Indonesia by creating a human rights court. However, there are unlikely
to be convictions of senior officers unless the army agrees, the diplomats said.
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