From: rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu (Rich Winkel)
Subject: Indonesia may face tribunal for East Timor
Followup-To: alt.activism.d
Originator: rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu
Organization: PACH
Date: Wed, 22 Jul 1992 03:45:29 GMT

/** reg.easttimor: 338.0 **/
** Topic: INDONESIA MAY FACE JURISTS FOR EAS **
** Written  5:56 pm  Jul 19, 1992 by peg:esinton in cdp:reg.easttimor **
Indonesia may face jurists for East Timor massacre

AUCKLAND: 19 July 1992 by David Robie in the Sunday Star

Human rights advocates are planning a "people's tribunal" of 
international jurists to put Indonesia on trial over violations in East 
Timor.

The hearing is expected to be convened in Bangkok in September 
to coincide with the Non-aligned Movement summit in Jakarta.

Concern over the ambivalent Indonesian response to last 
November's massacre of un-armed mourners in an East Timorese 
cemetery, when a young New Zealander died, the advocates hope 
to increase international pressure on the Suharto regime.

A Timorese campaigner visiting Auckland last week revealed the 
plan and also appealed for an international investigation into the 
Santa Cruz massacre.

"After Kuwait, Timor is now the big test for international human 
rights," says Aglo Pereira, project officer of the Sydney-based East 
Timor Relief Association. "The people's tribunal could be a 
catalyst for justice and self-determination."

Pereira says a peace plan advocated by a former United Nations 
envoy, Jose Ramos-Horta, and other Timorese resistance leaders 
was the best hope for his country's future. Both the New Zealand 
and Australian governments have reacted coolly to the proposal.

Supporters of East Timor self-determination are pressing for the 
release of a confidential report submitted to the UN Secretary-
General Boutros Boutros-Ghali, by his personal envoy Amos 
Wako.

The envoy visited East Timor in February and is understood to 
have written a "blistering critique" of the Indonesian Government.

During recent months Indonesian judges have imposed harsh 
sentences on five Timorese protesters who were fired on, while 
handing out relatively mild punishments to Indonesian soldiers 
accused over the shootings.

Last week, a 29-year old student leader, Gregorio da Cunha 
Saldanha, was jailed for life for having organised the protest which 
lead to the massacre.

Military tribunals have sentenced nine soldiers and one policeman 
to jail terms ranging from eight to 20 months for "violating military 
regulations" during the demonstration.

Although an official Indonesian report put the death toll at 50 - 
including New Zealand student Kamal Bamadhaj - independent 
sources, human rights agencies and eyewitness journalists have 
estimated at least 150 died.

"We believe the actual figure is 198 killed, based on hospital 
records, mothers' testimony and the number of disappearances," 
claims Pereira. "Seven victims were actually buried under an 
asphalt road.

"New Zealand should ask questions about the dead and missing."

The New York-based international rights group Asia Watch has 
condemned the light punishments imposed on soldiers, saying the 
courts martial were "stage managed" to appease international 
criticism.

The trials revealed a "sloppy, ill-prepared, ill-informed, poorly 
disciplined and poorly led army," says the Asia Watch report, 
adding that they did nothing to "pierce the secrecy surrounding 
how the shooting started or what happened to the bodies of those 
killed."

[Posted for David Robie by Eve Sinton peg:esinton]

** End of text from cdp:reg.easttimor **

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