From: rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu (Rich Winkel)
Subject: Indonesian General Faces Default Judgement in Timor Lawsuit
Followup-To: alt.activism.d
Originator: rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu
Organization: PACH
Date: Tue, 17 Nov 1992 09:05:44 GMT

/** reg.easttimor: 348.0 **/
** Topic: Default judgement vs. Sintong expe **
** Written 11:33 am  Nov 15, 1992 by gn:tapol in cdp:reg.easttimor **
Default judgement for Maj-Gen Sintong
 
Press Release of the Center for Constitutional Rights, Boston,
issued on 11 November 1992. [Abridged]
 
INDONESIAN GENERAL WHO FLED UNITED STATES FACES DEFAULT
JUDGEMENT IN EAST TIMOR LAWSUIT
 
Federal Judge in Boston Expected to Order Multi-Million Dollar
Payment to Family of Victim
 
 
An Indonesian general has fled the United States in the face
of a lawsuit charging him with responsibility for a bloody
massacre on November 12 of last year in which as many as 200
East Timorese civilians were murdered. His departure
constitutes an admission of guilt, and the Boston federal
court judge hearing the case is expected to order him to pay
millions of dollars to the family of one of the victims.
 
The Center for Constitutional Rights filed the lawsuit on
September 17 1992, on behalf of Helen Todd, the mother of
Kamal Bamadhaj, a New Zealand citizen who was killed in the
massacre, one year ago tomorrow. The suit charges General
Sintong Panjaitan as one of the Indonesian military leaders
responsible for a program of systematic human rights
violations which included the execution of Bamadhaj.
Panjaitan, who had lived in Boston since early this year, fled
from the United States within a few days of receiving notice
of the lawsuit.
 
"General Panjaitan has admitted his guilt by running away," Ms
Todd said. "I hope the Indonesian military now realises that
none of their officers travelling abroad will be able to hold
up their heads with honour until the East Timor issue is
solved."
 
Panjaitan's departure does not diminish his legal obligation
to respond to the lawsuit. Since he  failed to file an answer
to the complaint within the 20 days required by US law, the
court can hold him responsible for the massacre and enter a
multi-million dollar judgement against him, after reviewing
documentation about the harm caused by the massacre and the
history of egregious human rights violations in East Timor.
 
Beth Stephanie, a CCR attorney working on the case, said:
"Panjaitan's departure underscores one of the objectives of
this type of lawsuit and the laws under which they are filed:
the United States is not a safe refuge for torturers and
murderers." Michael Ratner, also an attorney with CCR, added,
"The Timorese people have a right to struggle peacefully for
democracy without being massacred. We hope this lawsuit
teaches the Indonesian military a lesson - stop the killing
and get out of East Timor, or face the danger of lawsuits
every time you travel to the United States."
 
Kamal Bamadhaj was killed while visiting East Timor, when
hundreds of Indonesian soldiers opened fire without warning on
a peaceful memorial procession. Bamadhaj was shot twice and
died shortly thereafter.
 
The lawsuit was filed under two US laws which allow victims of
gross human rights violations to bring suit in US federal
courts no matter where the violations occurred, as long as the
defendant is in this country.
 
[For more information, contact Beth Stephens (212) 614-6424,
or Michael Ratner (212) 614-6485, both at CCR.]
** End of text from cdp:reg.easttimor **

Newsgroups: misc.activism.progressive,sci.energy