[Kabar-indonesia] Indo News - 2/17/06

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- Munir case will never be solved
- Embattled Muchdi seeks help in Munir case
- Imparsial opposes giving voting rights to TNI in 2009
- National Intelligence Agency report on GAM must be factual
- Govt bill could reignite Aceh conflict: Mega
- Life sentence for mastermind of Ambon karaoke bar attack
- Newmont, govt reach $30 million settlement
- Gusmao and Yudhoyono meet
- Indonesia Must Confront its Past, Accept Responsibility and Deliver
Justice for Timor Atrocities
*****************************

Detik.com
Munir case will never be solved
February 15, 2006

Iqbal Fadil, Jakarta – The murder of human rights activist Munir will
never be solved. This is because the National Intelligence Agency (BIN)
and the national police are holding all of the respective facts and will
never reveal them.

“I am certain they will never be revealed. The police have a trump card,
BIN has a trump hard. So it will simply end like this”, said House of
Representatives Commission III member from the National Mandate Party
fraction, Djoko Edi Abdurrahman, during a break in a Commission III
working meeting with the chief of the Criminal Investigation Agency in
Jakarta on Tuesday February 14.

According to Abdurrahman, there were no meaningful developments in the
case of Munir’s death that were conveyed by chief of the Criminal
Investigation Agency, Police Commissioner General Makbul Padmanegara.
Police are still having difficulties obtaining additional evidence to
develop the case.

Even a recording of the phone conversation between Pollycarpus and BIN has
yet to be obtained. This is despite the fact that this recording could
provide a clue to the identity of the principle actor or mastermind behind
the murder. “The response given by the chief of criminal investigation
agency is that there has been no progress from earlier findings. [The
police are] just running round in circles”, complained Abdurrahman.

What is interesting is that all of the members of Commission III –
including Abdurrahman – have asked that Pollycarpus, who was jailed for 14
years for the murder, be released immediately. This is because the
sentence handed down was only based on the convictions of the judges – not
based on the facts revealed during the court hearings.

“If it is [left] like this it will become a bad precedent for the legal
system. If [a cases] is not proven and the evidence is not strong enough
release [then the defendant]. Better to release 1000 guilty people that to
punish one person who is innocent”, said Abdurrahman.

Abdurrahman, who is also a member of the Munir case monitoring team,
believes that solving the case should not be merely to improve the
popularity of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono; in order that he be seen
as a president that cares about human rights, or that the national police
are capable of accomplishing something or judges that are capable of
handing down [a just] sentence. “It shouldn’t be like that. This legal
case concerns the life of person. This need to be corrected”, he asserted.

Abdurrahman proposed that the police be more creative and work even harder
to find what other possibilities there are for the motive for the murder.
Not just be fixated on existing theories and facts. However he is
pessimistic that police will do this. “[The police] must look beyond the
fried noodles and orange juice glass theory that would make it possible
for us to arrive at the actor behind the murder”, he said. (ddn)
-- [Translated by James Balowski.]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Jakarta Post.com
National News
February 17, 2006
Embattled Muchdi seeks help in Munir case
Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The former National Intelligence Agency (BIN) deputy chief, whose name has
come up in connection to the murder of human rights campaigner Munir, has
gone on the defensive, telling lawmakers he has nothing to hide.

Accompanied by his lawyers, Muchdi Purwopranjono met House of
Representatives Speaker Agung Laksono on Thursday to appeal to lawmakers
not to be "influenced by opinions from certain parties" linking him to the
murder.

"I feel like I've been treated unfairly by unbalanced reports. I've tried
to stay calm in the hope that (the allegations) would fade away with the
end of the (Munir murder) trial. But they didn't," he told a news
conference after the meeting.

Wearing sunglasses, Muchdi said he had to speak up for the sake of his
family.

"I've never talked to as many journalists as this today, even when I was a
regional military commander," he said.

The Central Jakarta District Court sentenced Garuda pilot Pollycarpus
Budihari Priyanto to 14 years' jail in December for Munir's murder.

Pollycarpus was found guilty of lacing the food served to Munir with a
lethal dose of arsenic during a Garuda flight to Amsterdam from Jakarta in
September 2004.

The court noted that Pollycarpus had made frequent phone calls to former
BIN officers, including to Muchdi's cell phone, in the days before the
murder. When questioned in court, Muchdi testified he had lent out his
phone to other members of the agency and could not remember the calls.

An independent team investigating Munir's murder found evidence that BIN
agents were involved in the murder. The court when sentencing Pollycarpus
called for the "masterminds" of the attack to be put on trial.

Muchdi said his Thursday meeting with Agung was to discuss "the case
involving myself lately". He pointed to a newspaper, which ran an article
alleging that he had contacted Munir before he died.

"I swear to God, I didn't know Munir. I never phoned him. What more should
I say?" he said.

Mahendradatta, a lawyer for Muchdi, said he and his client had urged Agung
to tell legislators not to give into the growing "public opinion" that
Muchdi should answer to the law.

"If there are (people) who are not satisfied (with the Munir trial's
verdict), please file a legal motion. Otherwise, we will file one against
them. It is only a matter of time. Don't attack our client," he said while
looking at the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence
(Kontras) chairman Usman Hamid, who attended the press briefing.

Kontras, which was co-founded by Munir, his widow, Suciwati, and other
human rights activists have been pressing the authorities to arrest the
masterminds of Munir's murder.

Speaking after the conference, Usman said he and his colleagues had never
used baseless arguments in their bid to uncover the conspiracy behind the
murder, which has drawn international attention.

"It has all been stated in the court verdict," he said.

Munir was a staunch critic of the government and the military's poor human
rights records. He was found dead aboard the Garuda flight on Sept. 7,
2004. A Dutch autopsy later found an excessive amount of arsenic in his
body.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tempo Interactive
February 16, 2006
Imparsial opposes giving voting rights to TNI in 2009

Maruli Ferdinand, Jakarta -- The Indonesian Human Rights Monitor
(Imparsial) opposes the Indonesian military (TNI) being given the right to
vote in the 2009 general elections. The problem is that the TNI has yet to
complete its agenda of reform.

The executive director of Imparsial, Rachland Nashidik, made these remarks
on Thursday February 16 in Jakarta. The reform agenda he was referring to
concerns reform of the TNI's structure, culture and doctrine. "Aside from
this there are political motives behind giving voting rights to the TNI",
Nashidik added.

Imparsial actually accepts the voting rights of TNI soldiers and believes
that the restoration of their political rights represents an essential
part in the development of democracy. However the provision of these
rights requires serious and careful consideration. "They must learn to
have democracy before it can be justified [for them] to use this right
(the right to vote)", he said. According to Nashidik the TNI have not
known the right to vote for more than 30 years.

Nashidik is certain that the restoration of the TNI's right to vote can be
carried out after "The majority of the TNI's agenda items of reform
towards a professional military have been achieved". Nashidik added that
at present it is still difficult to assess the independence of TNI
soldiers. He is concerned that the provision of these rights are only in
order to ensure the victory of a particular candidate in the 2009
elections rather than an essential endorsement to build democracy.

Nashidik said that be believes that the government must have the political
will to carry out internal reform of the TNI. To date however this will
has yet to be visible. "The law on the election of regional heads for
example, the TNI are allowed to vote, [they] shouldn't have been allowed
to before [these reforms are completed]", said Nashidik.

Imparsial also opposes the TNI's right to vote being discussed in the
draft law on general elections that is being deliberated by the
legislator. "Because there are also political games taking place there",
he said.
-- [Translated by James Balowski.]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tempo Interactive
February 14, 2006
National Intelligence Agency report on GAM must be factual

ST Pramono, Jakarta - An Acehnese member from the Joint Forum of the
National and Regional House of Representatives, Ferry Mursyidan Baldan,
says that the National Intelligence Agency (BIN) report on the Free Aceh
Movement (GAM) must be accompanied by evidence. "If it is not factual,
it's difficult to believe", said Baldan at the national parliament in
Jakarta on Tuesday February 14.

The issue of independent candidates was assessed by BIN as a means for GAM
to seek strategic positions in Aceh. Baldan says this assessment is
excessive. "Independent candidates are not only explicitly for former GAM
members but other people as well", said the politician from the Golkar
Party. According to Baldan his faction will continue to struggle for the
inclusion of independent candidates in the Draft Law on a Government for
Aceh.

In a document received by Tempo, BIN said it believes that the Memorandum
of Understanding (MoU) between the government and GAM is only a
transitional step in achieving Acehnese independence. BIN also believes
that GAM's demand for local political parties and independent candidates
is to win strategic positions in Aceh that will then struggle for
independence for the Gateway to Mecca (Aceh).

Baldan said that the MoU basically represents a position of joint trust
between the government and GAM. According to Baldan the MoU's aim is to
end efforts at separatism in Aceh and that if there are parties that act
inconsistently with the agreement then it is tantamount to impairing the
MoU. "Such inconsistent positions can be conveyed to the Aceh Monitoring
Mission", he said.
-- [Translated by James Balowski.]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Jakarta Post.com
National News
February 17, 2006
Govt bill could reignite Aceh conflict: Mega
Muninggar Sri Saraswati and Ati Nurbaiti, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Ahead of next week's legislative deliberation on the Aceh governance bill,
the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle reiterated its opposition,
saying the bill would give too much to the Free Aceh Movement (GAM).

While adding that if the law were passed as it would be seen as bowing to
international pressure, ex-President Megawati Soekarnoputri said the
government draft could lead to the full independence of Aceh.

Addressing a discussion on the bill Thursday held by PDI-P, the party's
leader said she and the party "will not share in the responsibility" if
Aceh becomes independent.

She added that the process was wrong because the talks began with GAM
leaders, she said. Because the GAM leaders had become citizens of Sweden,
"as president I refused to meet them, how could they (the Swedes)
understand Aceh?" she wondered. "Don't people understand? A peace
agreement (which was reached in August between GAM and the current
government) can be either rejected, frozen or continued if we so wish."

PDI-P controls 19.8 percent, or 109 out of 550 seats, in the House of
Representatives, which is required by the peace agreement to pass the bill
on Aceh governance before March 31.

But being the main party opposing the government draft "we'll be
overwhelmed by all the other factions, and if need be we'll have to
concede defeat with our heads held high," legislator Permadi said.

Other speakers at the meeting, such as former deputy Army chief of staff
Lt. Gen. (ret) Kiki Syachnakri, raised similar concerns about the
"ignorance of government leaders and facilitators" who drafted the
agreement in Helsinki, about the far-reaching impacts of letting Aceh have
wide-ranging autonomy, including limited self-governance.

"The thing that I fear most about this is that we now have started moving
back to a kind of federalism that could have a domino effect," Kiki said,
referring to the time in the early 1950s when Indonesia was largely
decentralized and provinces had greater authority over their own
governance.

On the other side of the coin, advocates of the draft bill from Aceh's
provincial legislative body also oppose some aspects of the government
draft, saying it violates much of the spirit of the Helsinki agreements.

One participant, Agung Wijaya of the Aceh Democratic Network, claimed that
dialogs between his network and people in Aceh showed that "the spirit of
the Acehnese is to remain within the unitary republic," contrary to fears
raised by speakers and the legislators of the PDI-P. "There were initially
six drafts, but people have said they will support the draft from Aceh's
provincial legislative council," Agung said.

Meanwhile, the House's legislation committee approved the government's
request Thursday to include the bill in this year's National Legislation
Program.

Several legislators also lashed out at Justice and Human Rights Minister
Hamid Awaluddin for ignoring the House's procedures and skipping the
committee meeting on the bill.

However, the House plenary meeting concluded the approval of the bill on
Aceh two days earlier, before it was approved by the legislation
committee. Hamid said that he had sent a letter to the committee before
the plenary meeting, but received no response. He also asked the
legislators to finish the deliberation of the bill on time.

Legislator Saifullah Ma'shum said that lawmakers would need more time to
finish the deliberation of the bill because "it was a strategic and
contentious one".
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Jakarta Post.com
National News
February 17, 2006
Life sentence for mastermind of Ambon karaoke bar attack
M. Azis Tunny, The Jakarta Post, Ambon

The Ambon District Court sentenced an Islamist militant to life
imprisonment Thursday for masterminding a deadly attack on a karaoke bar
in restive Maluku province last year.

Fatur Datu Armen, alias Syamsudin, was found guilty for the Feb. 14 attack
on the Villa karaoke bar in Hative Besar village, Teluk Ambong Baguala
district, near the provincial capital of Ambon, which killed two civilians
and injured one.

The verdict means Fatur escaped the death penalty demanded by the prosecutor.

Presiding judge Kharlison Hariantja said Fatur was guilty of masterminding
the attack that killed two people who were celebrating Valentine's Day.

Fatur and Idi Amin Tabrani Pattimura, who is waiting for his verdict in
the same case, did not take part in the attack, which was carried out by
seven people, one of whom is still on the run.

Of the six attackers on trial, all of whom are still awaiting verdicts,
two are facing possible death sentences and four life sentences.

While reading the verdict, Kharlison said Fatur had violated articles 14
and 6 the 2003 Terrorism Law, and Article 55 of the Criminal Code. He was
found guilty of planning and instructing others to conduct acts of terror
that claimed lives and caused fear among people.

"The attack caused Hative Besar residents to stop their activities because
of fear. Fishermen did not go to sea for a week, and some people even
sought refuge on higher ground," Kharlison said.

He said Fatur planned the attack, including preparing the speedboat used
as well as obtaining firearms, ammunition and explosive devices, which
were kept at a house in Batumerah village in Ambon.

After listening to the verdict, Fatur yelled out "Allahu Akbar (God is
Great)". The call was repeated by people packed into the tightly guarded
courtroom.

After the trial, Fatur told journalists that he was not satisfied and
planned to appeal the decision.

"If I'm guilty, I'm ready to be hanged. The Terrorism Law was used by the
prosecutor, but the court only applies it to one group or community. Ambon
was a conflict area, so why are we being treated like terrorists? This is
unfair and I'll appeal," he said.

The native of Toli-Toli, Central Sulawesi, came to Ambon during the
conflict between Christians and Muslims as a member of Laskar Jundullah
and Wahdah Islamiyah, hard-line Islamist groups based in the South
Sulawesi capital Makassar. He stayed on in Ambon after marrying a local
woman.

Fatur's lawyer Hamdani Laturua told The Jakarta Post the verdict was
influenced by factors outside the court system.

"We see intervention by certain people who came to the judges to influence
the verdict. The court is an independent institution and its verdict is
the court's authority. We will include this matter in our appeal," said
Hamdani, declining to provide details.

In a separate trial, Tomi Srihandono was found guilty of financing the
attack and sentenced to five years' jail, lighter than the prosecutor's
demand of 11 years.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Jakarta Post.com
Headline News
February 17, 2006
Newmont, govt reach $30 million settlement
Tb. Arie Rukmantara, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The government and gold mining company PT Newmont Minahasa Raya (NMR)
signed Thursday a US$30 million out-of-court "goodwill" settlement of
their contentious dispute about pollution of Buyat Bay in North Sulawesi.

The deal, with payments to be made over a 10-year period, ended a civil
suit dating back to last March. The government's demand of $133 million
compensation for alleged dumping of tailings in the bay was dismissed by
the South Jakarta District Court in November.

The U.S. subsidiary has denied allegations it dumped tons of toxic waste
into the bay through a submarine tailing disposal system, endangering the
health of local residents.

Environmentalists roundly panned the deal, saying it pandered to the
interests of big business.

Although the amount was smaller than the original demand of the civil
suit, Coordinating Minister for Public Welfare Aburizal Bakrie said it was
acceptable to both parties and showed a "commitment to proper care of the
environment and to sustainable development".

The funds will be used for environmental monitoring and community projects.

"We are not talking about who won or lost here, but we are talking about
what's best for the people living near the mining site," he said.

Under terms of the deal, the company will transfer an initial payment of
$12 million to an escrow account 10 days after the signing. Once the
government drops its appeal of the South Jakarta District Court's ruling,
the fund will be transferred to a foundation responsible for managing the
fund disbursement for projects.

The company also will make annual payments of $3 million from 2010-2015.

Part of the deal involves the formation of a panel of scientific experts
from the government and the firm to ensure there are no negative impacts
of the company's operations.

The government said the deal would not affect the criminal case being
heard at a North Sulawesi district court, where NMR's executive director
Richard Ness is being tried for polluting the bay. He could face a maximum
sentence of a 10-year prison term and $68,000 fine.

Environmentalists said the settlement showed the government's failure to
enforce the environmental protection law.

"It is an evil agreement made by parties with no interest in the Buyat
people's fate," said Siti Maimunah of the Mining Advocacy Network.

"The money is nothing compared to what the people of Buyat have lost. They
lost their health, they lost their homes, they even lost their relatives
who died of illnesses caused by the pollution."

Legislator and former environment minister Sonny Keraf said the deal was a
"bad example", because corporations would rely on out-of-court settlements
whenever they broke the law.

"What the government should look at is enforcing the law, not seeking
money," he said, adding the legislature should demand an explanation of
the settlement.

Indonesian Forum for Environment executive director Chalid Muhammad said
his organization would continue the legal battle against Newmont by suing
the company on the same pollution charges.

"At the same time, we will also sue the government for letting Newmont
commit such a crime," he said.

NMC CEO and chairman Wayne Murdy said the settlement was no admission of
guilt. "There has never been a scientific study showing that we have
polluted the bay," he said.

State Minister of the Environment Rachmat Witoelar said his office would
decide on the best way to use the funds. "Currently, the people of Buyat
live in uncertainty. The fund will help ensure their future," he said.

NMR, which operates another mining site in East Nusa Tenggara and North
Sumatra, claims that since its North Sulawesi operation started in the
mid-1990s, total direct and indirect benefits to the Indonesian economy
reached about US$500 million.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Australian
Gusmao and Yudhoyono meet
>From correspondents in Tampaksiring, Bali
February 17, 2006

The presidents of Indonesia and East Timor have met in a hillside palace
in Bali to paper over a rift caused by a report accusing Jakarta of human
rights atrocities in its former territory.

Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono held private talks with his East Timorese
counterpart Xanana Gusmao and said the pair had "wonderful conversations"
over a report blaming Jakarta for up to 180,000 deaths during its 25-year
rule of the fledgling nation.

The report prepared for the United Nations by East Timor's independent
Commission for Reception, Truth and Reconciliation, or CAVR, accuses
Indonesian forces of using napalm against East Timorese guerrillas.

While not publicly released, its also describes widespread use of torture,
rape and sexual abuse as a means of oppressing pro-independence
supporters.

After the report was handed to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan by Gusmao,
Yudhoyono last month postponed a meeting with his East Timorese
counterpart, but denied it was because of anger in Jakarta over the CAVR
accusations.

Both presidents met in the Presidential Palace at Tampaksiring, favoured
by Indonesia's founding father Sukarno, to deny any diplomatic rift.

They said they would focus on the work of the official commission for
truth and reconciliation, set up in 2004 by both countries to avoid
recriminations over Jakarta's bloody record and without any ability to
prosecute human rights crimes.

"What is important is to maintain the commitment and agreement that we
should solve things ... with fairness, truth and reconciliation,"
Yudhoyono said.

Gusmao said both countries had "more to do" on reconciliation, but would
satisfy the international community with a responsible and credible
account rights abuses.

"We are committed to our principles ... as sovereign states," he said.

East Timor's Foreign Minister Jose Ramos Horta said parts of the CAVR
report were "outlandish", particularly recommendations that East Timor
seek compensation payments from Australia and the US over the wave of
militia violence which followed independence.

"How on earth could a leader from East Timor, or the foreign minister, go
to Australia and ask for compensation when I know that without Australian
leadership in 1999 and in the following years of its commitment to East
Timor, East Timor would not be safe today," he said.

Australia's relations with Indonesia had also suffered as a result of
Canberra's military intervention to stop the militia bloodletting, he
said.

Ramos Horta said the CAVR report contained some useful recommendations for
internal security reforms in East Timor, but pushing Indonesia too hard
over war crimes reparations and punishment would only undermine support
for Yudhoyono.

"If we push Indonesia too far, there will be a backlash," he warned.

"I do not see any other options."

Human rights activists have accused East Timor's government of going soft
over the report to avoid damaging relations with its giant neighbour.

Gusmao, a former guerilla leader, has previously supported keeping the
2,500-page report and its recommendations under wraps.

East Timor & Indonesia Action Network spokesman John Miller today called
on Indonesia to accept the report's recommendation to detail military
operations resulting in human rights prior to and during the 1999
referendum which led to East Timor's independence.

"Instead of seeking to bury the past, Indonesia should ensure that those
responsible for crimes against humanity and other systematic human rights
violations in Timor-Leste are brought to justice," he said.

The independent commission was set up in 2002 to investigate rights
violations from all sides during Indonesia's occupation of its smaller
neighbour.

Indonesia invaded East Timor in 1975 but the country's people voted in
favour of breaking away in a UN-sponsored ballot in August 1999.

It gained full independence in May 2002 after more than two years of UN
stewardship.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Indonesia Must Confront Its Past, Accept Responsibility and Deliver
Justice for Timor Atrocities
ETAN Posts Entire Timor Truth Commission Report on Website

Contact: John M. Miller, 718-596-7668; 917-690-4391 (cell)
Karen Orenstein, 202-544-6911

February 16 - In light of Friday's meeting between the presidents of
Timor-Leste and Indonesia, the East Timor and Indonesia Action Network
(ETAN) today called on Indonesia to fully accept the findings and enact
the recommendations of Timor-Leste's Commission for Reception, Truth and
Reconciliation (known by its Portuguese acronym, CAVR). The presidents are
expected to discuss the report and the bilateral Indonesia - Timor-Leste
Commission on Truth and Friendship.

"Indonesia bears primary responsibility for the illegal invasion and
occupation of East Timor," said John M. Miller, National Coordinator of
ETAN. "Instead of seeking to bury the past, Indonesia should ensure that
those responsible for crimes against humanity and other systematic human
rights violations in Timor-Leste are brought to justice. This would send a
strong message to a still recalcitrant military," he added. "The cycle of
impunity in Indonesia cannot end and democracy fully flourish until there
is real justice for Timor-Leste."

ETAN posted the full CAVR report, in both English and Bahasa Indonesia, on
its website today.  (See http://www.etan.org/news/2006/cavr.htm.)

"President Gusmao asked NGOs to help make the CAVR report widely available
once he had delivered it to the UN and certain governments, which has
happened," said Miller, who met with Gusmao in January. "The report
contains information that needs to be widely known. Indonesia, the United
States, the UN and others must act on its recommendations."

The CAVR report states that a new relationship between Timor-Leste and
Indonesia requires "the principles of acknowledging the truth of the past,
accountability for violence, and a spirit of generosity in assisting those
who have been harmed by that violence."

The report calls on Indonesia to provide "full documentation of military
operations resulting in human rights violations of civilians"; revise its
official account so as to "give the Indonesian people an accurate and
comprehensive account of the period 1974 to 1999"; and cooperate "fully
with any future international or East Timorese initiatives established to
address justice for violations of human rights committed in Timor-Leste
between 1974 and 1999." The report also recommends that the Indonesian
government, as well as Indonesian businesses which profited from the
occupation, contribute to a reparations trust fund.

The CAVR report is the product of three years of intensive research by
hundreds of East Timorese and international experts and is based on
information from more than 8000 witnesses and victims. The report found
that at least 102,800 people died from 1975 to 1999 as a result of
Indonesia's invasion and occupation.

The report is critical of the Commission on Truth and Friendship.

"Under its current mandate the Truth and Friendship Commission (TFC),
established over public opposition, does not meet international human
rights standards," said Miller. "It cannot refer anyone for prosecution
for serious crimes but can propose amnesties. The international community,
including the U.S. government, must not use the TFC to dodge
responsibility for accountability," he added. The two presidents plan to
discuss the TFC during their meeting.

The CAVR report covers the period from 1974 to 1999 and urges increased
attention to crimes committed before 1999, including the 99% of the total
murders committed under the Suharto dictatorship, which received strong
backing from foreign governments. UN-sponsored justice processes have so
far limited their work to 1999.
-- ETAN advocates for democracy, justice and human rights for East Timor
and Indonesia. ETAN calls for an international tribunal to prosecute
crimes against humanity committed in East Timor from 1975 to 1999 and for
restrictions on U.S. military assistance to Indonesia until there is
genuine reform of its security forces. For more information, go to
www.etan.org.