UN Human Rights Commission Calls For a Fair Trial on East Timor
3 November 2003 08:47 WIB
The HRC position was ratified following an agreement made between the European Union, represented by Sweden as the EU President, and an Indonesian Government delegation. Prior to this agreement, both sides were locked in intensive negotiations for two weeks. The Chief of the Indonesian permanent representatives, Nugroho Wisnumurti, said that the negotiations were difficult but were carried out in a constructive fashion. He said the resulting agreement takes into account interests of both sides.
In the negotiations, the Indonesian government refused to consider a formulation which could lead to the establishment of an international court to try suspects. The HRC accepted views within the DPR that the Government should form an ad hoc human rights trial in accordance with Law no. 26/2000. The Commission encouraged the Indonesian government to put the parliament’s decision into action.
Regarding the problem of refugees, the HRC accepted Indonesian measures in handling the matter, including efforts to strip weapons from pro-integration militias and disband their organizations. The Commission urged increased cooperation between the Indonesian Government, UN Transitional Authority in East Timor, UN High Commissioner for Refugees and the International Organization for Migration in order to repatriate refugees to East Timor. The Commission also urged the Indonesian Government to carry out a transparent and non-partisan process of registering refugees. This will enable refugees to participate in the East Timor general election which will be held next August.
In relation to the Atambua incident in East Nusa Tenggara which killed three UNHCR staffs last September, the Commission reiterated its expectation that the murderers will be brought to trial in line with international standards of justice.