Contact:
Sisto dos Santos: +670-726-6564 (Dili)
Jose Pereira: +670-736-7518 (Dili)
John M. Miller +1-718-596-7668 (New York)
February 9, 2011 -
A coalition of groups in Timor-Leste
is urging the United Nations Security Council "to take concrete,
effective actions to end impunity for those who directed and committed
crimes against humanity in Timor-Leste" during Indonesia's invasion and
occupation.
"Accountability for crimes against
humanity must not be further delayed" the Timor-Leste National Alliance
for an International Tribunal (ANTI) told the UN Security Council
in a
letter delivered this week.
ANTI criticized UN Secretary-General
Ban ki-Moon for failing "to mention the consequences of ongoing impunity
for the serious international crimes committed during the Indonesian
occupation" in his latest report to the Council.
The letter was endorsed by more than
30 other organizations from outside of Timor-Leste.
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We are still not yet
free of the shadow of serious crimes committed during the 24 years of
Indonesian occupation. We have suffered a lot during that period; physically
and psychologically, because of torture from various types of violations,
including sexual violence against women, and the loss of 180,000 human lives
because of the brutal, illegal Indonesian military occupation.
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"We are still not yet free of the
shadow of serious crimes committed during the 24 years of Indonesian
occupation. We have suffered a lot during that period; physically and
psychologically, because of torture from various types of violations,
including sexual violence against women, and the loss of 180,000 human
lives because of the brutal, illegal Indonesian military occupation,"
said ANTI.
ANTI added "If impunity continues to
prevail in Timor-Leste, it will have a negative impact on the stability
and security of our country; undercutting the efforts of the United
Nations to establish rule of law and strength security institutions. In
addition, the perpetrators are continuing to commit similar crimes in
Indonesia."
The Security Council is scheduled to
meet on February 22 to discuss the future of the UN Mission in
Timor-Leste (UNMIT). The mission's current mandate expires February 26.
The Security Council should "discuss
the recommendations of the [2005]
Commission of
Experts regarding the establishment of an International Criminal
Tribunal when national mechanisms fail." They
also urged the Council to enlarge the mandate of the Serious Crimes
Investigation Team (SCIT) to allow the investigation and support the
prosecution "of the principal perpetrators of serious crimes and crimes
against humanity throughout the Indonesian occupation from 1975-1999."
The SCIT current mandate only allows investigations of murders committed
during 1999, when the UN sponsored the referendum which led to
Timor-Leste's independence.
ANTI argues that such prosecutions
are "the only solution to end impunity in Timor-Leste and Indonesia, so
that democracy and human rights that we yearn for can be achieved in
Timor-Leste and other countries."
Endorsing groups include the East Timor and Indonesia
Action Network (U.S.); KontraS, the Indonesian human rights
organization; Japan East Timor Coalition; International Federation for
East Timor; Australian Coalition for Justice for East Timor; and the regional
Asia-Pacific Solidarity Coalition.
-30-
see also
Human Rights &
Justice
A-N-T-I
TIMOR-LESTE NATIONAL
ALLIANCE FOR AN INTERNATIONAL TRIBUNAL
Secretariat
: Fongtil-Caicoli, Dili Timor Leste
e-mail:
lanarra.del@gmail.com
8 February 2011
Excellencies, Members of the
United Nations Security Council
United Nations, New York, New York,
10017 USA
For more than eight years, we, the people of Timor-Leste,
have been living as a free Nation and free people in a sovereign
democratic State, but we are still not yet free of the shadow of serious
crimes committed during the 24 years of Indonesian occupation. We have
suffered a lot during that period; physically and psychologically,
because of torture from various types of violations, including sexual
violence against women, and the loss of 180,000 human lives because of
the brutal, illegal Indonesian military
occupation.
We place our hopes in the United
Nations Security Council, which has the principal role in this
fight to end impunity, based on the fundamental principles consecrated
in the Charter of the United Nations. We urge you to take concrete,
effective actions to end impunity for those who directed and committed
crimes against humanity in Timor-Leste.
The UN has taken some positive actions to address the issue
of justice for serious crimes during the past decade, including
establishing the Serious Crimes Unit (SCU)
to investigate and prosecute those responsible for the crimes committed
in 1999, the Special Panels (SP) to try perpetrators of these serious
crimes (S/2005/458, par. 5) and the Commission of Experts to
report on the judicial effectiveness of their work and that of the
Indonesian ad hoc court in Jakarta (S/2005/458, par. 1-2). These
actions were inadequate to end impunity in Timor-Leste and
Indonesia, because the Commission of
Experts report has not been followed up and considered by the
Security Council, and because the SCU
and SP (as well as UNMIT’s Serious Crimes Investigation Team) only
looked into crimes committed in 1999, which excludes the 99% of
homicides which took place between 1975 and 1998.
We are disappointed with the latest report of the
Secretary-General on UNMIT for September 2010 to January 2011 (S/2011/32)
because it fails to mention the consequences of ongoing impunity for the
serious international crimes committed
during the Indonesian occupation. The report discusses only the 1999
crimes (S/2011/32; par. 38) and gives more attention to directing
Timor-Leste’s government to achieve justice for domestic crimes
committed in 2006 (S/2011/32; par. 35).
The principle of the United Nations to respect the
sovereignty of every Member State does not mean that the United Nations
must accept sovereignty as an excuse not to pursue the perpetrators of
crimes against humanity committed
against people in other countries. All Member States are obliged to
respect the principles of United Nations and never to accept impunity
for serious crimes. Therefore, the United Nations must pressure a Member
State which does not cooperate with legal processes to try perpetrators,
such as Indonesia in the case of crimes against humanity committed
during its occupation of Timor-Leste. This is especially important
because many of the crimes were acts directed by the Suharto
dictatorship who no longer governs Indonesia.
If impunity continues to prevail in Timor-Leste, it will
have a negative impact on the stability and security of our country;
undercutting the efforts of the United Nations to establish rule of law
and strength security institutions. In addition, the perpetrators are
continuing to commit similar crimes in Indonesia, especially
West Papua and Ambon, Maluku.
Some Timor-Leste leaders undermine the legal justice
process by prioritizing cordial relations with Indonesian government.
This also obstructs the way to justice (S/2011/32; par. 9) and is out of
touch with our people. To end impunity, we must not sacrifice
fundamental principles of human rights and justice in favor of
diplomacy.
The legal justice processes for accountability for crimes
against humanity must not be further delayed. We strongly encourage the
Security Council of United Nations to take immediate effective actions
to end impunity so that justice can be restored.
We recommend to the Security Council of United Nations to:
1.
Discuss
the recommendations of the Commission of Experts regarding the
establishment of an International Criminal Tribunal when national
mechanisms fail. (S/2005/458; par. 446 and 525)
2.
Enlarge
the mandate of the Serious Crimes Investigation Team (SCIT) so that it
can investigate some of the highest profile massacres such as Kararas-Viqueque
(1983), Muapitine-Lospalos (1983), Mausiga and Maununo-Ainaro (1982) and
Santa Cruz-Dili (1991) and prosecute those who are responsible for these
crimes.
3.
Establish a delegation to approach both governments, Timor-Leste and
Indonesia, to encourage them to respect legal processes initiated by the
United Nations to prosecute the perpetrators of crimes against humanity
committed as part of Indonesian occupation from 1975-1999.
4.
Give
mandate to SCIT to support formal indictment of the principal
perpetrators who committed serious crimes and crimes against humanity
during the Indonesian military occupation from 1975-1999. This is the
only solution to end impunity in Timor-Leste and Indonesia, so that
democracy and human rights that we yearn
for can be achieved in Timor-Leste and other countries.
Sincerely yours,
Sisto dos Santos
On behalf of ANTI
Members of ANTI (Timor-Leste organizations):
·
Community Development Interest (CDI)
·
Forum
Tau Matan (FTM)
·
Front
Mahasiswa Timor-Leste (FMTL)
·
HAK
Association
·
Judicial System Monitoring Program (JSMP)
·
Kdalak
Solimutu Institute (KSI)
·
Knua
Buka Hatene (KBH)
·
Luta Hamutuk
·
Mata
Dalan Institute (MDI)
·
Organizasaun Popular Vitima da Guerra (OPVG)
·
Sekretariadu Timor-Leste NGO Forum (Fongtil)
·
Timor-Leste Institute for Development Monitoring and Analysis (La’o
Hamutuk)
This letter has been
endorsed by the following international organizations:
·
Asia-Pacific Solidarity Coalition (APSOC)
·
Association of Prison Ministries, Jakarta, Indonesia
·
Australia East Timor Association, NSW
·
Australian East Timor Friendship Association South
Australia Inc
·
Australian Coalition for Justice for East Timor
·
Baltimore Nonviolence Center, USA
·
Committee for the Release of Political Prisoners (KAPT/N) , Indonesia
·
East
Timor and Indonesia Action Network (ETAN), USA
·
East
Timor Religious Outreach, USA
·
ETAN/Portland, Oregon, USA
·
Fellowship of Reconciliation, USA
·
Foundation Pro Papua, The Netherlands
·
Hunter
East Timor Sisters, Australia
·
Institute
of Struggle for the Rehabilitation of Victims of the New Order Regime (LPR
KROB), Indonesia
·
Institute on Religion and Public Policy, USA
·
International Federation for East Timor (IFET)
·
International League for Human Rights
·
Japan East Timor Coalition
·
Jews
Against Genocide, USA
·
KontraS,
Indonesia
·
Law
Enforcement Watch, Jakarta, Indonesia
·
Madison-Ainaro
Sister City Alliance, Wisconsin, USA
·
Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns, USA
·
Swedish
East Timor Committee
·
TAPOL,
UK
·
Watch
Indonesia!, Germany
·
WESPAC
Foundation, White Plains, NY USA
·
WestPAN
(West Papua Action Network), Canada
·
Wisconsin Network for Peace and Justice, USA
·
WPAT
(West Papua Advocacy Team), USA
-----------
8 Fevereiro 2011
Ezelénisa sira Membru Konsellu Seguransa Nasoins Unidas
New York, 10017 USA
Liu tinan ualu ona, ami,
povu Timor-Leste moris nu’udar Nasaun no povu ida ne’ebé livre iha
Estadu ida soberanu no demokrátiku, maibé ami seidauk livre hosi
fantasma krime grave ne’ebé akontese durante tinan 24 okupasaun
Indonézia nian. Ami terus barak iha periodu ne’e; terus fízika no
psikolójika
tanba tortura
hosi tipu violasaun oin-oin, inklui violasaun seksuál hasoru feto sira,
no lakon ema 180 nia moris tanba okupasaun illegál, brutál militár Indonézia
nian.
Ami tau ami nia laran
metin iha Konsellu Seguransa Nasoins Unidas nian, ne’ebé iha papél
prinsipál iha luta hakotu impunidade ida ne’e, bazeia ba prinsípiu
fundamentál hirak ne’ebé konsagra ona iha Karta Nasoins Unidas nian. Ami
ezije
ba ita boot sira hodi foti asaun konkretu ne’ebé efetivu hodi hapara
impunidade ba sira ne’ebé dirije no komete krime hasoru umanidade iha
Timor-Leste.
Nasoins Unidas foti ona
asaun pozitivu no konkretu balun hodi trata asuntu justisa ba krime
grave,
hanesan estabelese Unidade Krime Sériu (SCU) hodi investiga krime sira
no prosege sira ne’ebé responsavel ba krime hirak ne’ebé komete iha 1999
no Painel Espesiál (SP) hodi julga kriminozu sira hosi krime sériu hirak
ne’e (S/2005/458, par. 5) no Komisaun Peritu hodi relata kona-ba
prosesu judisiál hosi servisu SCU, SP no Tribunál ad hoc Diretu Umanu
iha Jakarta- Indonézia (S/2005/458, par. 1-2). Asaun hirak ne’e
la adekuadu hodi hapara impunidade iha Timor-Leste no Indonézia, tanba
rekomendasaun sira hosi relatóriu sira ne’e Konsellu Seguransa la haree
tuir no konsidera no servisu SCU no SP limita de’it ba kazu 1999, la
inklui kazu oho ema (omosídiu) porsentu 99% hosi tinan 1975-1998.
Ami la satisfeitu ho
relatóriu Sekretáriu Jerál nian foin lalais ne’e kona-ba UNMIT hosi
Setembru 2010 to’o Janeiru 2011 ne’ebé la temi konsekuénsia hosi
impunidade ne’ebé sei kontinua hela kona-ba krime sériu internasionál
nian ne’ebé komete durante okupasaun Indonézia. Relatóriu ne’e diskute
de’it krime 1999 nian (S/2011/32; par. 38) no fó atensaun liu ba
dirije governu Timor-Leste ba hetan justisa ba krime doméstika ne’ebé
komete iha 2006. (S/2011/32; par. 35).
Prinsípiu Karta Nasoins
Unidas nian hodi respeita soberania Estadu Membru idak-idak nian la
signifika katak Nasoins Unidas tenke simu soberania hanesan deskulpa ida
hodi la kaer kriminozu sira ne’ebé halo krime hasoru umanidade ne’ebé
halo hasoru povu seluk iha nasaun seluk. Estadu Membru sira hotu iha
devér hodi respeitu prinsípiu
sira Nasoins Unidas nian no nunka bele simu impunidade ba krime sériu
sira. Liuhosi meiu ida ne’e, Nasoins Unidas tenke haka’as Estadu Membru
ida ne’ebé la koopera ho prosesu legál hodi julga kriminozu sira,
hanesan Indonézia iha kazu krime hasoru umanidade ne’ebé komete durante
ninia okupasaun iha Timor-Leste. Ida ne’e importante tebes tanba barak
hosi krime hirak ne’e nu’udar hahalok sira ne’ebé dirije hosi ditadura
Suharto nian ne’ebé oras ne’e la ukun ona Indonézia.
Bainhira sei iha nafatin
impunidade iha Timor-Leste, nia sei lori impaktu negativu ba estabilidade
no seguransa nasaun nian; hafraku esforsu hirak Nasoins Unidas nian hodi
estabelese estadu diretu no haforsa instituisaun seguransa. Nune’e mós,
kriminozu sira kontinua halo krime iha Indonézia, liu-liu iha Papua
Loromonu no Ambon-Maluku.
Na’i ulun sira Timor-Leste
nian balun hafraku prosesu justisa legál liuhosi fó prioriadade ba
relasaun di’ak ho governu Indonézia. Ida ne’e mós halo kloot dalan ba
jusitsa (S/2011/32; par. 9). Atu hakotu impunidade, ita la bele
sakrifika prinsípiu fundamentál direitu umanu no justisa hodi favor ba
diplomasia.
Prosesu justisa legál ba
responsabilidade kona-ba krime hasoru umanidade tenke la bele dada naruk
liu tan. Ami ho maka’as tebes ezije
ba Konsellu Seguransa Nasoins Unidas nian hodi foti asaun imediatu
ne’ebé efetivu hodi hakotu impunidade atu nune’e bele restora fali
justisa.
Ami rekomenda ba Konsellu
Seguransa Nasoins Unidas atu:
1.
Diskute
rekomendasaun sira Komisaun Peritu nian kona-ba estabelesimentu Tribunál
Kriminál Internasionál ida bainhira mekanizmu nasionál sira falla (la
konsege)
(S/2005/458; par. 446 no 525).
2.
Hodi fó mandatu ne’ebé
luan tan ba Ekipa Investigasaun Krime Sériu (SCIT) nian hodi investiga
kazu masakre sira ne’ebé boot liu hanesan masakre Kraras-Viqueque 1983,
Muapitine-Lospalos (1983), Mausiga-Ainaro (1982) no Santa Cruz-Dili
(1991), durante
okupasaun militár Indonézia.
3.
Estabele delegasaun ida hodi halo aproximasaun
ba
governu rua, Timor-Leste no
Indonézia hodi enkoraja sira atu bele respeita prosesu legál justisa
nian ne’ebé inisia ona hosi Nasoins Unidas hodi prosege kriminozu sira
ne’ebé halo krime hasoru umanidade ne’ebé sai nu’udar parte okupasaun
Indonézia nian hosi tinan 1975-1999.
4.
SCIT bele
halo akuzasaun formál ba autór
prinsipál sira ne’ebé komete krime grave no krime kontra umanidade
ne’ebé mosu duranti okupasaun militár Indonesia hosi tinan 1975-1999. So
úniku dalan ida ne’e de’it mak hodi hakotu impunidade iha Timor-Leste,
atu nune’e demokrasia no direitu umanu ne’ebé ita hakarak tebes atu
hetan bele alkansa iha Timor-Leste
no rai seluk.
Ho respeitu
kordiál,