Kompas, 7 April 2000 Summary only by TAPOL

Investigations of possible suspects in human rights cases in East Timor are proceeding too slowly, in the opinion of UN Human Rights High Commissioner Mary Robinson. In a meeting with Albert Hasibuan, a member of the National Human Rights Commission who also chaired the Special East Timor Investigation Comission KPP HAM, she said she would be prepared to send two members of her staff to Jakarta to help speed things up.

'While Mrs Robinson was appreciative of Indonesia's endeavours to proceed with human rights trials, she said she was prepared to send two members of her staff to help the attorney-general's office in their investigations,' said Hasibuan. She also expressed her support for moves to set up a permanent human rights court and ad hoc human rights courts in Indonesia, including one for East Timor.

Hasibuan himself was also critical of the slow progress at the attorney-general's office. 'No suspect has yet been named from all the names put forward by the KPP HAM.'

He said that the attorney-general's office was entitled to seek the assistance of the National Human Rights Commission in proceeding with the investigations.

Hasibuan warned that delays in pre-trial investigations could damage Indonesia's reputation and credibility at home and abroad. If this happens, the international community might go ahead and set up an international tribunal, he said

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