From: Human Rights Coordinator <hrcoord@igc.apc.org>
Newsgroups: soc.rights.human
Date: 08 Sep 92 17:19 PDT
Subject: E Timor resolution adopted at UN
Nf-ID: #N:cdp:1476700437:000:4847
Nf-From: cdp.UUCP!hrcoord    Sep  8 17:19:00 1992


From: Human Rights Coordinator <hrcoord>
Subject: E Timor resolution adopted at UN

/* Written 12:33 am  Aug 28, 1992 by gn:tapol in cdp:reg.easttimor */
UN condemns human rights in East Timor

Original document


The UN Sub-commission on Prevention of Discrimination and
Protection of Minorities, at its 44th Session in Geneva,
adopted the following resolution on the Situation in East
Timor, by 13 votes to 6, with four abstentions, on 27 August
1992:


The Sub-commission on Prevention of Discrimination and
Protection of Minorities,

Bearing in mind the provisions of the Charter of the United
Nations and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural
Rights,

Recalling resolution 37/30 of 23 November 1982 of the General
Assembly in which it requested the Secretary-General to
initiate consultations with all parties directly concerned to
resolve the conflict in East Timor,

Recalling its resolutions 1982/20 of 8 September 1982, 1983/26
of 6 September 1983, 1984/24 of 29 August 1984, 1987/13 of 2
September 1987, 1989/7 of 31 August 1989 and 1990/15 of 30
August 1990 concerning the situation in East Timor,

Bearing in mind the consensus statements by the Chairman of
its forty-third session (E/CN.4/Sub.2/1991/SR.26) and the
Chairman of the Commission on Human Rights, adopted on 4 March
1992, at its forty-eighth session (E/CN.4/1992/SR.54/Add.1),

Having examined the report of the visit to East Timor by its
Special Rapporteur on the question of torture, Mr Peter
Kooijmans (E/CN.4/1992/17/Add.1),

Appalled at the loss of life and injuries among civilians
resulting from the violent incidents of 12 November 1991, and
concerned at the fate of those who are missing,

Welcoming the decision of the Secretary-General to send Mr
Amos Wako as his Personal Envoy to inquire into the violent
incidents of 12 November 1991,

Regretting that the conclusions of the National Commission of
Inquiry set up by the Indonesian Government failed, in its
conclusions, to identify clearly those responsible for the
killings,

Considering that the Government of Indonesia had undertaken to
adopt the measures necessary towards the implementation of the
recommendations of the Special Rapporteur on the question of
torture,

Disturbed by the heavy sentences passed on the East Timorese
involved in political activities on the basis of the "Anti-
Subversion Law" whose abrogation had been recommended by the
Special Rapporteur on the question of torture of the
Commission on Human Rights,

Disturbed also by reports of continuing human rights
violations in East Timor,

Disappointed by the persistent denial of access to the
territory to human rights organisations,

1.   Deplores the tragic events in Dili on 12 November 1991,
in which East Timorese civilians, including women and
children, were killed;

2.   Expresses its utmost concern at reports of continuing
widespread human rights violations in East Timor;

3.   Invites the Secretary-General to transmit the full report
of his Personal Envoy, Mr Amos Wako, to the Commission on
Human Rights at its forty-ninth session;

4.   Requests the Secretary-General in the preparation of his
report on the situation in East Timor for consideration by the
Commission on Human Rights under item 12 to include an
analytical compilation of all information received from, inter
alia, Governments, intergovernmental and non-governmental
organisations,

5.   Commends the decision of the Government of Indonesia to
set up a National Commission of Inquiry, but regrets that
investigation of the actions of the armed forces on 12
November 1991 has not been followed through and invites the
Indonesian authorities to cooperate in the preparation of the
above-mentioned report of the Secretary-General by providing
information on the complementary measures to bring the members
of the armed forces responsible to justice,

6.   Urges the Government of Indonesia to provide the Working
Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances information
regarding the missing persons;

7.   Also urges the Indonesian authorities on humanitarian
grounds to cooperate with the families of the victims by
providing information about the dead and the whereabouts of
their remains for proper burial;

8.   Calls upon the Indonesian authorities to honour their
commitment to facilitate access to East Timor by humanitarian
and human rights organisations;

9.   Decides to review the situation in East Timor at its
forty-fifth session and to this end asks the Secretariat to
transmit to it all available information concerning the human
rights situation in the territory.

[A Memorandum from Jose Ramos Horta, official spokesperson of
the CNRM, on the background to this important event will be
posted shortly.]