Subject: Launch of JSMP Thematic Report #1

Justice in Practice: Human Rights in Court Administration JSMP, Dili, 13/12/01

Since February 2001 the Judicial System Monitoring Programme (JSMP) has been providing independent monitoring and analysis of the Special Panels of the Dili District Court. Through court observation of the Serious Crimes trials, JSMP monitors have observed a series of problems that are impeding the proper development of this important part of East Timor's new justice system. JSMP's first thematic report Justice in Practice: Human Rights in Court Administration examines these problems and their implications for the system's capacity to comply with international human rights standards and fulfil its role in the broader reconciliation process in East Timor. The report also contains a series of recomendations that have been forwarded to the UN Transitional Administration and the Minister for Justice.

The report will be formally launched at a press conference at 10am on Friday 14 December 2001 in Dili at the Yayasan Hak canteen in Farol. All are welcome to attend.

The report is also available in English, Portuguese and Bahasa Indonesia on JSMP's website at www.jsmp.minihub.org

The Executive Summary in English and Bahasa Indonesia is below. For further information about the report or JSMP's work, contact Caitlin Reiger at caitlin@jsmp.minihub.org.

In other news, the full text of the Los Palos case judgment delivered on 11 December 2001 is also now available on the JSMP website.


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For more information go to www.jsmp.minihub.org, or send an e-mail to info@jsmp.minihub.org

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

This report examines the effectiveness of the administration of the Special Panels for Serious Crimes of the Dili District Court that have been created by the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET). These Special Panels are mandated to deal with Serious Crimes committed during the Indonesian occupation, including the campaign of violence in 1999. Their ability to dispense justice in a fair and independent manner is vital for the ongoing reconciliation process. In the past two years, enormous progress has been made in building a system in which international and East Timorese judges sit together to hear these cases. JSMP has consistently observed almost every court hearing before the Special Panels between February and November 2001. Through these observations and discussions with court personnel, it is clear that despite the progress several aspects of the current administrative structures within the courts are impacting adversely on the quality of justice. If left unchecked, these threaten the extent to which the Special Panels for Serious Crimes are able to provide a fair trial.

A functioning court administration is part of the institutional basis of the fundamental right to a fair trial before a competent, independent, and impartial tribunal. Particular elements of this right are currently affected by the lack of an effective administrative structure in the Special Panels. The judges do not have adequate resources, such as research facilities and administrative support, which are the essential tools of their trade. The right to trial without undue delay is jeopardised by poor administrative liaison with external parties as well a lack of organisational planning in the allocation of cases. The right to a public hearing is undermined by access problems, including access to information about the court proceedings. The rights to examine witnesses and to appeal decisions of the Special Panels are hampered by resource constraints that prevent witness expenses being reimbursed and transcripts of hearing being produced. The numbers of interpreters and translators are inadequate for the volume of court hearings and judgments.

The Serious Crimes cases are not the only ones affected by the current situation. These concerns also have broader implications for the building of a sustainable justice system that enjoys the public trust and confidence that is necessary for a society based on the rule of law and respect for human rights. This is the first thematic report to be produced by JSMP and aims to contribute to public debate concerning the present state and future directions of East Timor s justice system by making a series of recommendations for reform. To summarise the recommendations presented here: comprehensive strategic planning, based on a full needs assessment, should be a priority. This should lead to substantial reforms of the court administration, including significantly improved resource mobilisation and coordinated training and mentoring of East Timorese staff. It concludes that without a clear administrative structure, well defined responsibilities and adequate training and technical assistance, East Timor s new justice system and the Special Panels for Serious Crimes will continue to struggle.

RINGKASAN EKSEKUTIF

Laporan ini mengkaji efektivitas administrasi Panel Khusus untuk Kejahatan Serius dari Pengadilan Distrik Dili yang dibentuk oleh Pemerintah Transisi PBB di Timor Lorosa e (UNTAET). Panel Khusus ini diberi mandat untuk menangani Kejahatan-kejahatan Serius yang dilakukan selama pendudukan Indonesia, termasuk kampanye tindak kekerasan di tahun 1999. Kemampuan Panel ini untuk menegakkan keadilan secara adil dan independen sangat penting bagi proses rekonsiliasi yang tengah digalakkan. Dalam dua tahun terakhir, telah terjadi perkembangan yang sangat besar di dalam upaya membangun sistem peradilan yang memungkinkan hakim-hakim internasional dan Timor Lorosa e bekerja bersama untuk mendengar berbagai kasus kejahatan serius. Secara konsisten JSMP telah memantau hampir setiap sidang dengar-pendapat di pengadilan yang digelar oleh Panel Khusus antara Februari dan November 2001. Melalui pengamatan-pengamatan ini dan diskusi dengan pegawai pengadilan, terang bahwa meskipun telah terjadi kemajuan dalam sejumlah aspek di dalam susunan administratif sekarang, lembaga peradilan ini sedang mengefek secara berlawanan pada kwalitas keadilan. Jika hal seperti ini tetap dibiarkan, hal-hal ini dapat mengancam pengadilan yang adil yang mesti dihasilkan Panel Khusus.

Administrasi peradilan yang berfungsi merupakan bagian dasar institusional hak dasariah untuk memperoleh pengadilan yang adil di depan suatu pengadilan yang kompeten, independen dan tak memihak. Unsur-unsur khusus dari hak ini sekarang sedang mempengaruhi kurangnya suatu struktur administrasi efektif dalam Panel Khusus. Para hakim tidak memiliki sumber daya yang memadai, seperti fasilitas penelitian dan dukungan administrasi, yang sangat penting bagi kegiatan mereka. Hak ke peradilan tanpa penundaan yang tak wajar akan diruntuhkan oleh relasi administrasi yang tidak baik dengan pihak-pihak di luar sama halnya dengan perencanaan organisasi dalam menata berbagai kasus kejahatan serius. Hak untuk mengikuti sidang dengar-pendapat menjadi terbengkalai karena masalah akses, termasuk akses untuk mendapatkan informasi mengenai dokumen pengadilan. Hak untuk memeriksa saksi dan untuk menyatakan naik-banding terhadap keputusan Panel Khusus terhambat oleh kekurangan sumber daya sehingga menghalangi pergantian terhadap biaya saksi dan transkripsi dengar-pendapat yang tidak dihasilkan. Jumlah interpreter dan penterjemah masih tidak cukup dibandingkan dengan keseringan dengar-pendapat dan pengadilan.

Kasus-kasus Kejahatan Serius bukanlah satu-satunya kasus yang dipengaruhi situasi sekarang. Keprihatinan ini juga memiliki implikasi yang lebih luas pada pembangunan sistem peradilan berkelanjutan yang mendapatkan kepercayaan dan keyakinan publik yang diperlukan suatu masyarakat yang berdasarkan pada hukum dan aturan serta hormat terhadap hak asasi manusia. Laporan ini merupakan laporan tematik pertama yang dikeluarkan JSMP dan dimaksudkan sebagai bahan perdebatan publik luas mengenai situasi sekarang dan arah masa depan sistem keadilan Timor Lorosa e dengan mengajukan sejumlah rekomendasi untuk melakukan perubahan. Untuk merangkum rekomendasi-rekomendasi yang diketengahkan: perencanaan strategis yang komprehensif berdasarkan pada analisa kebutuhan yang lengkap harus merupakan suatu prioritas. Hal ini harus mengarah kepada perubahan substansial pada administrasi pengadilan, termasuk mobilisasi sumber-daya yang semakin meningkat secara signifikan dan pelatihan terkoordinir serta pemantauan terhadap staff Timor Lorosa e. Ini menyimpulkan bahwa tanpa suatu struktur administrasi jelas, tanggung-jawab yang didefinisikan dengan benar dan pelatihan memadai serta dukungan teknis, sistem peradilan Timor Lorosa e yang baru dan Panel Khusus untuk Kejahatan Serius akan tetap bergelut.


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