PDF version of letter

International Coalition Urges UN to Be Active for Justice for East Timorese

For Immediate Release

Contact: John M. Miller (ETAN), New York +1/917-690-4391;   etan@igc.org

June 1, 2008 - In a letter to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, an international coalition of more than 90 human rights and other organizations urged the UN and the international community "to fulfill their long-standing commitment to see that justice is done for crimes against humanity committed in Timor-Leste" during Indonesia's two and one-half decade occupation.

The letter comes as the bi-lateral Commission on Truth and Friendship (CTF) prepares to hand its report over to the presidents of Indonesia and Timor-Leste.

The letter said the CTF report "must not stand as the last word on these issues.... The right to know (the truth) and the right to justice are inalienable, and are a bulwark against the culture of impunity represented by [Indonesia's] Ad Hoc Court and the CTF."

The letter noted the April release of Eurico Guterres, the last remaining defendant of Ad Hoc Court. All those tried by the court have now been acquitted bringing that "farcical process to an end."

The letter urged the Secretary-General "to work towards the creation of an ad hoc international criminal tribunal for those who bear greatest responsibility for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed from 1975 onwards, not just in 1999," as recommended by The independent Commission for Reception, Truth and Reconciliation (CAVR) and the UN's own Commission of Experts. 

The organizational signers were joined by more than 30 academic experts and other concerned individuals.

The letter with a list of signers is available in English, Bahasa Indonesia and Tetum at http://www.etan.org/news/2008/056moon.htm.

In April, 34 members of the U.S. Congress urged the U.S. administration to "take a leadership role" in bringing those responsible for human rights violations perpetrated against the people of Timor-Leste during and immediately following the Indonesian occupation to justice. "If credible trials and appropriate punishments of those responsible for major human rights violations are to occur, an international effort is needed," they wrote.

The congressional letter specifically urged the U.S. to respond to the CAVR report. A number of its recommendations and findings concern the U.S., the UN, and the broader international community.

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• English

• Bahasa Indonesia

• Tetum

His Excellency Ban Ki-Moon
Secretary-General
The United Nations
1 United Nations Plaza
New York, New York 10017-3515

Your Excellency,

The recent release of former militia leader Eurico Guterres by the Indonesian Supreme Court brings Indonesia's farcical process to an end. Meaningful justice to the long-suffering people of Timor-Leste is long overdue. We urge you to work to uphold the rule of law and strengthen the democratic transition in both countries. It time for the United Nations and the international community to fulfill their long-standing commitment to see that justice is done for crimes against humanity committed in Timor-Leste.

As you know, Eurico Guterres was tried by Indonesia's Ad Hoc Court on charges of murder and persecution as crimes against humanity along with 17 other defendants. All have now walked free. Indonesia created this court to deflect demands for an international tribunal. The UN's Commission of Experts (COE) conducted a thorough analysis of the Ad Hoc Court, describing it as "manifestly inadequate." The COE identified such major flaws as a lack of commitment on the part of the prosecution, deficient investigations, inadequate presentation of evidence, a courtroom atmosphere that did not inspire confidence in the public mind, inconsistent verdicts, and an unwillingness to utilize sound jurisprudence. The COE concluded that the Ad Hoc Court "was not effective in delivering justice", and revealed "scant respect for or conformity to relevant international standards". Even one of the judges in the Ad Hoc Court conceded that it had "not made any significant contribution to strengthening the rule of law in Indonesia". In this context, Guterres' acquittal only highlights the flawed nature of that process.

The "Updated Set of principles for the protection and promotion of human rights through action to combat impunity"  [E/CN.4/2005/102/Add.1], states:

"The fact that an individual has previously been tried in connection with a serious crime under international law shall not prevent his or her prosecution with respect to the same conduct if the purpose of the previous proceedings was to shield the person concerned from criminal responsibility, or if those proceedings otherwise were not conducted independently or impartially in accordance with the norms of due process recognized by international law and were conducted in a manner that, in the circumstances, was inconsistent with an intent to bring the person concerned to justice." 

We submit that both exceptions apply to the Ad Hoc Court, meaning that those acquitted are still able to face a credible court. We urge you to work to establish a meaningful legal process to try those responsible for crimes against humanity, war crimes and other serious crimes committed by Indonesian forces during the occupation of Timor-Leste.

The upcoming report of the flawed, bilateral Commission on Truth and Friendship (CTF) must not stand as the last word on these issues. We applaud your predecessor's decision - reiterated by you - not to confer legitimacy on the CTF. The right to know (the truth) and the right to justice are inalienable, and are a bulwark against the culture of impunity represented by the Ad Hoc Court and the CTF.

The independent Commission for Reception, Truth and Reconciliation (CAVR) and the UN's Commission of Experts both recommended the creation of "an ad hoc international criminal tribunal for Timor-Leste" should Indonesia, under a strict time frame, continue to fail to credibly prosecute senior officials responsible for the devastation in 1999. The Guterres acquittal confirms that the Indonesian government is unable to deliver justice. We therefore call upon you to work towards the creation of an ad hoc international criminal tribunal for those who bear greatest responsibility for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed from 1975 onwards, not just in 1999. If this is not feasible, we urge you to fully reconstitute the Serious Crimes process, providing it with sufficient resources and backing. This should be done in accordance with recommendations 7.1.1 and 7.1.2 of the CAVR Report - namely, the UN itself should provide the resources and judicial expertise, not Timor-Leste's court system. Indonesia, which is currently a member of both the Security Council and UN Human Rights Council, must extradite for trial those charged by the Serious Crimes process.

There is overwhelming support for justice for past crimes within Timor-Leste, especially by the Church, civil society and victims' associations. Indonesian civil society groups are also emphatic in their support of the justice agenda, seeing it as vital to their nation's democratic transition. We remind you of the Security Council's earlier commitments, expressed more than seven years ago in Resolutions 1264 and 1272, to bring those responsible to justice. Timor-Leste faces tremendous difficulties in taking the lead on the matter of justice in the face of opposition from its powerful neighbor. The international community, as embodied in the United Nations, must be involved in addressing these crimes which violated international criminal law, the UN charter and Security Council resolutions.

Yours sincerely,

see signers below

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Kepada Yang Terhormat
Ban Ki-Moon
Sekretaris Jenderal
Perserikatan Bangsa-Bangsa
1 United Nations Plaza
New York, New York 10017-3515

Dengan hormat,

Pelepasan mantan pemimpin milisi Eurico Guterres dari penjara oleh Mahkamah Agung Republik Indonesia mengakhiri proses peradilan Indonesia yang tidak masuk akal. Keadilan yang bermakna bagi rakyat Timor Leste yang melalui penderitaan panjang, sudah terlambat lama. Kami mendesak Anda untuk menegakkan rule of law dan memperkuat transisi demokratik di Indonesia dan Timor Leste. Sudah saatnya bagi PBB dan komunitas internasional untuk memenuhi komitmen lama mereka memastikan keadilan ditegakkan atas kejahatan terhadap kemanusiaan yang terjadi di Timor Leste.
 
Seperti Anda ketahui, Eurico Guterres diadili oleh Pengadilan Ad Hoc Indonesia dengan dakwaan pembunuhan dan persekusi sebagai kejahatan terhadap kemanusiaan dengan 17 terdakwa lainnya. Semua terdakwa itu kini bebas. Indonesia menciptakan pengadilan ini untuk menghindari tuntutan dibukanya sebuah pengadilan internasional. Komisi Ahli PBB melakukan analisis mendalam tentang Pengadilan Ad Hoc, dan menggambarkannya "jelas tidak memadai." Komisi Ahli itu mengidentifikasi kelemahan-kelemahan mendasar itu sebagai ketiadaan komitmen di pihak penuntut, penyelidikan yang lemah, pemeriksaan bukti-bukti yang tidak memadai, dan suasana ruang pengadilan yang tidak melahirkan keyakinan pada pengadilan itu dalam benak publik, putusan-putusan yang tidak konsisten, dan ketidakmauan menggunakan yurisprudensi yang baik. Komisi Ahli itu menyimpulkan bahwa Pengadilan Ad Hoc "tidak menegakkan keadilan secara efektif," dan mengungkap "kurangnya penghargaan dan kesesuaian dengan standar-standar internasional yang relevan." Bahkan salah seorang hakim dalam Pengadilan Ad Hoc mengakui bahwa pengadilan itu "tidak memberikan kontribusi penting untuk memperkuat rule of law di Indonesia." Dalam konteks inilah, pelepasan Guterres dari penjara hanya menegaskan kelemahan dari proses tersebut.
 
"Perangkat prinsip yang diperbarui untuk perlidungan dan pemajuan hak asasi manusia melalui tindakan memerangi impunitas," [E/CN.4/2005/102/Add.1], menyatakan:

"Kenyataan bahwa seseorang sudah pernah diadili dalam hubungannya dengan kejahatan serius di bawah hukum internasional semestinya tidak menghalangi penuntutan lain terhadap perbuatan yang sama jika tujuan dari peradilan sebelumnya justru melindungi orang tersebut dari tanggung jawab pidana, atau jika peradilan itu tidak dilakukan secara independen dan imparsial sesuai dengan norma-norma proses yang memuaskan sesuai dengan hukum internasional dan dilaksanakan dengan cara yang, dalam lingkup tersebut, konsisten dengan tujuan menegakkan keadilan terhadap orang yang bersangkutan."

Kami berpendapat bahwa kedua pengecualian itu berlaku bagi Pengadilan Ad Hoc, yang berarti bahwa orang-orang yang dibebaskan masih dapat dihadapkan pada pengadilan yang kredibel. Kami mendesak Anda untuk bekerja untuk menegakkan proses hukum yang bermakna untuk mengadili mereka yang bertanggungjawab atas kejahatan terhadap kemanusiaan, kejahatan perang dan kejahatan serius lainnya yang dilakukan pasukan-pasukan Indonesia selama menduduki Timor Leste.
 
Laporan Komisi Kebenaran dan Persahabatan yang dibentuk Indonesia dan Timor, dan penuh kelemahan itu, semestinya tidak menjadi kata terakhir mengenai masalah-masalah ini. Kami menyambut baik keputusan pendahulu Anda - yang diulangi oleh Anda - untuk tidak memberikan legitimasi kepada KKP. Hak untuk tahu, hak atas kebenaran dan hak atas keadilan tidak dapat diingkari, dan menjadi pertahanan yang kokoh terhadap budaya impunitas yang ditampilkan oleh Pengadilan Ad Hoc dan KKP.
 
Komisi Penerimaan, Kebenaran dan Rekonsiliasi (CAVR) dan Komisi Ahli PBB sama-sama merekomendasikan pembentukan "pengadilan ad hoc internasional untuk Timor Leste" jika Indonesia, dalam kerangka waktu yang ketat, terus gagal mengadili para perwira seniornya yang bertanggung jawab atas penghancuran pada 1999 secara memuaskan. Pembebasan Guterres menegaskan bahwa pemerintah Indonesia tidak dapat menegakkan keadilan. Karena itu kami menyerukan kepada Anda untuk bekerja menuju pembentukan pengadilan ad hoc pidana internasional bagi mereka yang paling bertanggungjawab atas kejahatan terhadap kemanusiaan yang dilakukan sejak 1975, dan bukan hanya pada 1999. Jika ini tidak dapat dilakukan, maka kami mendesak Anda untuk kembali menyelenggarakan proses Kejahatan Serius, dan memberikan sumber daya serta dukungan yang cukup. Langkah ini harus dilakukan sesuai dengan rekomendasi 7.1.1. dan 7.1.2 dalam Laporan CAVR - yakni bahwa PBB, dan bukan sistem peradilan Timor Leste, yang harus menyediakan sumberdaya dan tenaga yudisial. Indonesia yang kini merupakan anggota Dewan Keamanan dan Dewan Hak Asasi Manusia PBB, yang mengekstradisi para terdakwa untuk diadili oleh peradilan Kejahatan Serius.
 
Ada dukungna berlimpah untuk penegakan keadilan terhadap kejahatan masa lalu di dalam Timor Leste, khususnya dari gereja, masyarakat sipil dan perhimpunan korban. Kelompok-kelompok masyarakat sipil Indonesia juga tegas mendukung agenda keadilan, dan melihatnya sebagai sesuatu yang vital bagi transisi demokratik di negeri mereka. Kami mengingatkan Anda akan komitmen-komitmen Dewan Keamanan yang disampaikan lebih dari tujuh tahun lalu dalam Resolusi 1264 dan 1272, untuk membawa mereka yang bertanggungjawab ke pengadilan.
 
Timor Leste menghadapi kesulitan luar biasa besar untuk memimpin dalam urusan keadilan ini karena menghadapi perlawanan dari tetangganya yang sangat kuat. Komunitas internasional, yang mewujud dalam Perserikata Bangsa-Bangsa, harus dilibatkan untuk menangani kejahatan-kejahatan ini, yang melanggar hukum pidana internasional, Piagam PBB dan resolusi-resolusi Dewan Keamanan.
 
Hormat kami,

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Exmo Senhor
Ban Ki-Moon
Sekretariu Jeral
Nasoins Unidas
1 United Nations Plaza
New York, New York 10017-3515

Exelésia,

Foin daudauk Tribunal Supremu Indonezia nian husik tiha eis-lider milisia Eurico Guterres. Hahalok ne'e lori Indonezia nia prosesu judisial ne'ebe bosok mak barak ba iha fin. Justisa loloos ba povu Timor-Leste ne'ebe sofre kleur tebetebes tenke mai ona. Amu husu ba Ita-boot atu defende nafatin lei ho hametin tranzisaun demokratika iha rai rua ne'e. Tempu to'o ona ba Nasoins Unidas ho komunidade internasional atu kaer sira nia kometimentu dezde uluk kedan atu haree katak justisa tenke halo duni ba krime hasoru umanidade ne'ebe ema halo iha Timor-Leste.

Hanesan Ita-boot hatene, Eurico Guterres hetan julgamentu hosi Tribunal Ad Hoc kona-ba akuzasaun ba oho-ema no persekusaun, hanesan krime hasoru umanidade ho akuzadu na'in 17 seluk. Sira ne'e hotu ohin livre. Indonezia harii tribunal ne'e hodi dezvia tiha ajijensia atu harii tribunal internasional. Komisaun Peritu UN nian (UN's Commision of Experts, COE) hala'o ona analize ida maka'as ba Tribunal Ad Hoc ne'e, no sira deskreve tribunal ne'e hanesan 'inadekuada momoos hela'. COE identifika sala barak iha laran hanesan laiha kometimentu hosi parte prokuradoria nian, investigasaun ne'ebe la'o la loos, aprezentasaun ba evidensia ne'ebe la adekuadu, ambiente tribunal laran nian ne'ebe la inspira konfiansa iha publiku, veriditu  ne'ebe laiha konsistensia, no mos laiha vontade atu uza jurisprudensia ida di'ak. COE hola konkluzaun katak Tribunal Ad Hoc ne'e 'la efetivu atu lori justisa', no hatudu 'laiha respeitu ba, ka laiha konformidade ho, standar internasional ne'ebe relevante'. Ate juiz ida iha Tribunal Ad Hoc ne'e mos dehan katak tribunal ne'e 'la halo kontribuisaun ida signifikante atu hametin prosesu lei nian iha Indonezia'. Iha kontestu ida ne'e, desizaun ba Guterres atu hatudu de'it prosesu ne'ebe la'o la loos.

 'Prinsipiu Akordu atualizadu ba protesaun no promosaun direitus umanus nian liu hosi asaun to kombate impunidae' [E/CN.4/2005/102/Add.1], hatete:

'Faktu katak individuu ida uluk hetan ona julgamentu iha ligasaun ho krime grave tuir lei internasional labele prevene ninia prosekusaun ho respeitu ba kondutu hanesan karik objetivu ba prosedimentu ida uluk ne'e maka atu proteje ema ne'e hosi responsabilidade kriminal, ka karik prosedimentu sira ne'e la hala'o ho independente ka imparsial tuir norma prosedimentu nian ne'ebe rekonesidu iha lei internasional no mos hala'o iha maneira, iha sirkunstansia sira ne'e, la konsistente ho intensaun ida atu lori ema ne'e ba justisa.'

Ami submete katak esepsaun rua ne'e aplika ba Tribunal Ad Hoc, katak ema sira ne'ebe ezoneradu sei bele hasoru filafali tribun' ida ho kredibilidade liu. Ami husu ba Ita-boot atu buka estabelese prosesu legal ida ho substansia atu julga ema sira ne'ebe responsavel ba krime kontra umanidade, krime funu nian ho krime grave sira seluk ne'ebe forsa Indonezia nian komete durante okupasaun Timor-Leste.

Relatoriu bilateral inkorretu ne'ebe atu mai daudauk, Komisaun ba Verdade ho Amizade (CVA) labele hamriik hanesan liafuan ikus ba kestaun sira ne'e. Ami louva desizaun hosi Ita-boot nia predesesor -- ne'ebe Ita-boot reitera -- atu la konfere lejitimidade ba CVA. Direitu atu hatene, direitu ba lia-loos, ho direitu ba justisa mesak inalienavel de'it, no hanesan fortaaleza hasoru kultura impunidade prezentadu hosi Tribunal Ad Hoc ho CVA.

CAVR, CVA ho Komisaun Peritu UN nian hotu-hotu rekomenda kriasaun ba 'tribunal kriminal internasional ad hoc ida ba Timor-Leste' karik Indonesia, iha tempu limitadu ida, kontinua atu prosesa loloos ninia ofisial senior sira ne'ebe responsavel ba destruisaun iha 1999. Ezonerasaun Guterres nian konfirma katak governu Indonesia nian la konsege tau justisa. Nune'e ami bolu Ita-boot atu servisu ba estabelesimentu tribunal kriminal internasional ad hoc ba ema sira ne'ebe kaer responsabilidade boot liu ba krime funu nian ho krime hasoru umanidade komete hosi tinan 1975 mai oin, la'os deit 1999. Karik ida ne'e la posivel, ami husu ba Ita atu rekonstitui kompletamente prosesu Krime Grave, atu fo rekursu ho apoiu ne'ebe sufisiente. Ida ne'e tenke halo tuir rekomendasaun 7.1.1 ho 7.1.2 hosi Relatoriu CAVR -- nomeadamente, katak UN maka tenke fornese rekursu ho tekniku lei nian, la'os sistema justisa judisial Timor-Leste nian. Indonesia, ne'ebe oras ne'e sei membru Konsellu Seguransa ho Konsellu Direitus Umanus UN nian, tenke estradita ema sira ne'ebe hetak akuzasaun hosi prosesu Krime Grave ba julgamentu.

Ema barak maka apoia justisa ba krime sira ne'ebe komete iha tempu uluk iha Timor-Leste, liuliu Igreja, sosiedade sivil ho asosiasaun vitima nian. Grupu sosiedade sivil Indonesia nian mos empatiku iha sira nia apoiu ba ajenda justisa nian, haree duni katak justisa mos importante ba sira nia tranzisaun demokratika iha sira nia rain. Ami fo-hanoin filafali ba Ita kona-ba Konsellu Seguransa nia komentu sira uluk ne'e, fo-sai iha tinan hitu liuba iha Rezolusaun 1264 ho 1272, atu lori ema sira ne'ebe responsavel ba justisa. Timor-Leste hasoru difikuldade boot ida atu lidera iha kestaun kustisa nian bainhira nia hetan opozisaun hosi ninia vizinu ne'ebe kbiit-uain. Komunidade internasional, hanesan reprezentadu hosi Nasoins Unidas, tenke involve iha rezolusaun ba krime sira ne'ebe viola lei kriminal internasional, tratadu UN nian ho rezolusaun Konsellu Seguransa.

Ho respeitu tomak,