Supplied by BBC Worldwide Monitoring

August 25, 2002, Sunday

East Timor bishop calls for international body to try independence vote crimes

Radio Australia, Melbourne, in English 0700 gmt 25 Aug 02

In East Timor, the bishop of Dili has called for the creation of an international tribunal to try crimes committed during the independence vote three years ago. The call by Bishop Carlos Belo comes after an Indonesian court acquitted six military and police officers of gross human rights violations in East Timor in 1999. Visiting UN human rights chief Mary Robinson has conceded that the trials did not satisfy international human rights standards. She says the prosecution was sloppy and the evidence brought to bear was minimal.

Meanwhile, Mrs Robinson has laid a wreath at the Santa Cruz cemetery, where it is believed up to 200 people were killed when Indonesian troops fired on pro-independence demonstrators in 1991. Mrs Robinson has also met with President Xanana Gusmao and Foreign Minister Jose Ramos Horta.

Back to 
August menu
July
Main Postings Menu