PROMOTING HUMAN RIGHTS, PEACE AND DEMOCRACY IN INDONESIA

111 Northwood Road, Thornton Heath, Surrey CR7 8HW, UK
Tel +44 (0)20 8771 2904 Fax +44 (0)20 8653 0322
Email tapol@gn.apc.org Website http://www.tapol.org

< PRESS RELEASES

Crimes against humanity in East Timor must be punished by an international tribunal, urge NGOs

5 July 2000

Over 80 organisations and human rights campaigners from around the world - including many from the UK - have today written to UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, demanding an international tribunal to try those responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by the Indonesian military and their militia proxies in East Timor.

The letter emphasises that: ‘Speedy justice is essential for peace, reconciliation and stability in East Timor, and for democracy and stability in Indonesia.' It argues that Indonesian justice does not meet the necessary standards and an international tribunal is now the only viable option to achieve justice for East Timor.

The 39-member International Federation for East Timor - which ran the largest non-partisan observer mission to East Timor for last years ‘popular consultation’ - and the dozens of other signatories have followed Indonesia’s efforts to bring those responsible to justice through its own judicial system and concluded that they fall far short of the international standards required.

An international tribunal was recommended by a UN Commission of Inquiry which reported to Kofi Annan in January. An earlier report by three representatives of the UN Commission on Human Rights said the Indonesian process should be completed in a matter of months. That has not happened and the letter has been written to remind the Secretary General of his responsibility to ensure timely justice for the many victims of the heinous crimes committed in East Timor.

The letter identifies a lack of political will, flaws in Indonesia’s draft legislation on human rights courts and the poor calibre of judicial personnel as the main obstacles to justice in Indonesia. The proposed definitions of human rights crimes are flawed and could result in lower-ranking military officers being targeted so that higher ranking officers and political leaders can avoid accountability as they have so often done in the past.

The letter also draws attention to the problems of ingrained judicial corruption and the lack of prosecutors and investigators able to act professionally and impartially.

Similar letters have been sent to the French Presidency of the European Union and to Foreign Secretary Robin Cook urging them to press the case for an international tribunal.

ENDS

Press archive

top