| Subject: Eurico
Gutterres: Habibie Should be Brought to Court
also: Johny Lumintang Investigated Over
May 5 Cable
TEMPO Interaktif Dec 24, 1999
Eurico Gutterres: Habibie Should be
Brought to Court
Jakarta:
Eurico Gutterres, Commander of Pejuang
Pro-Integrasi (Pro-Integration Fighters) of East Timor said that former
President B.J. Habibie should be brought to court in relation to human
rights abuses in East Timor. He disclosed the matter in a press conference
in Hotel Acacia, Jakarta on December 23.
The atrocities in East Timor, Gutterres
said, were the result of political crimes in the upper levels of the
government. The atrocities were the consequence of the independence option
that Habibie offered without first consulting the House of
Representative/People's Consultative Assembly. Therefore, Habibie should
be held responsible for the human rights abuses in East Timor.
Gutterres, accompanied by his associate
from PPI, Joanico Cisario, and eight lawyers, said that they were not
militia or the ones responsible for the 'cleansing' of East Timor. "I
am an Indonesian born in East Timor," he said repeatedly. He also
said that the burning of houses by pro-integration groups in East Timor
was not correct, rather the house owners burned their own homes.
"Before the poll result was announced, the pro-independence people
visited the houses. They said to the pro-integration people that they must
leave East Timor. How could they leave their houses to others? Therefore,
the pro-integration people burnt their own houses," he explained.
Commenting on whether or not he would be
available if the Commission for Investigations into Human Rights Abuses (KPP
HAM) summoned him, Gutterres said that so far he had not received any
summons from KPP HAM. However, Gutterres regretted that KPP HAM only
focused its investigations into human rights abuses in East Timor on the
September 5 and 6 events, after the referendum. He thought that they
should investigate former cases, like the incident in 1959 where thousands
of people were slaughtered in Viqueque and the 1965 and 1975 incidents
where the Portuguese troops left thousands of rifles to the people, with
the consequence of causing conflicts amongst them.
Kompas Friday, 24 December 1999
Johny Lumintang Investigated Over May
5 Cable
see Lumintang Lawsuit
for more on cable and its consequences
Jakarta,
Former Army Chief of Staff, Lt. General
Johny Lumintang, had to provide information to the Investigation
Commission of Human Rights Offenses (KPP HAM) Thursday evening (23/12).
The investigation led by Chairman KPP HAM, Albert Hasibuan, lasted only
about twenty minutes. Lumintang was questioned about a cable dd. May 5
1999 which he sent to the Commander of Military District Commando Udayana,
Major General Adam Damiri.
Hasibuan stressed that Lumintang was not
one of the high ranking officers targeted by KPP HAM. As Army Chief of
Staff, he had not been involveduch in the East Timor military operations.
"Tomorrow (Friday) is the best part
of the investigations. Wiranto will be questioned by KPP HAM. He said that
he would come, questioning is scheduled at 14.00," he said.
Lumintang told reporters that his turn
had actually been scheduled for Monday (27/12). "To speed up matters,
because I observe Christmas, I came today. I only clarified KPP HAM's
question. Just ask them, I cannot disclose the questions," he said.
Lumintang arrived alone about 18.55. At
the investigation he was accompanied by members of the HAM Advocacy Team
for TNI Officers, Hotma Sitompoel, Ruhut Sitompul, Tommy Sihotang and TNi
Legal Training Chief, Major General Timur Manurung. Aside from Hasibuan,
Munir and HS Dillon investigated Lumintang.
The telegram
Hasibuan admitted, KPP HAM only
questioned about Lumintang's telegram, made out on behalf of the Chief of
Staff to the Commander of the Udayana Military District Commando. The
cable contained instructions for the Commander, in case the East Timor
pro-independence group should win the opinion polling. Contents of the
cable entailed for instance, security measures pertaining to TNI assets as
well as that of government's, safety measures for village guards and
refugees. KPP HAm has a copy of the telegram, on account of this the
Commission has questioned Lumintang in hbis capacity of Army Deputy chief
of Staff. Lumintang confirmed to having sent the cable on May 5, which
contents were only meant for TNI officers. KPP HAM only clarified the
telegram," he said.
"The telegram was of a general
nature and meant for TNI insiders. There was, therefore, not much said
about the telegram or Lumintang. KPP HAM admitted, their target is not
Lumintang," he explained again.
Kopassus officers
Throughout the afternoon, KPP HAM
investigated former Regent Covalima Herman Sediono, Commander of Special
Task Force Tribuana VIII, an offshoot of the Special Elite Commando Unit (Kopassus),
Lt. Colonel Yayat Sudradjat, former governor East Timor Abilio Soares,
former Regent Liquisa Tarman Suprapto. Former Commander Military Rayon
Covalima, Lt. Sugito also called that day, failed to show up at KPP HAM.
TNI Head Legal Training Agency, Major
General Timor P. Manurung said, the Armed Forces hopes thal the
investigations will be over next week, for those reasons, a proposal had
been forwarded to KPP HAM to hold Wiranto's hearing on Friday (23/12).
Desires for a speedy settlement was also
voiced by Secretary KPP HAM East Timor, Asmara Nababan. He said, KPP HAM
should be able to come up with a report on December 31 at the same time
the International Investigation Commission would deliver their report and
recommendations to the Secretary General United Nations.
Constant watch
Former Justice Minister Muladi, a
consultant in the HAM Advocacy Team for High Ranking Officers, said at a
seperate occasion that he met with the United Nations Head of Human Rights
Commission, Mary Robinson.
"From the meeting with Robinson it
came to light that the UN commission is closely observing KPP HAM East
Timor operations led by Albert Hasibuan.
"KPP HAM East Timor should work
fairly and be impartial," she said. Quoting Robinson's statement,
Muladi said, "As long as the KPP HAM commission is working in a fair
and impartial way, the UN HAM Commission will limit itself to an
observatory role only. This might change as soon as the KPP HAM East Timor
commission is showing signs of unfairness and partiality. It would,
however, not be an easy task to take matters of human rights over for the
UN. Procedures have to be followed, like for instance, recommendations of
the UN HAM commission to the UN Secretary General, from which it will be
forwarded to the session of the UN Security Committee. Not to mention the
vetos. There is a long way to go still."(*)
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