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Groups urge Indonesian cooperation with UN
Commission of Experts
April 4, 2005
Dr. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
President
Republic of Indonesia
Via Facsimile: +62 21 3452685/ 5268726/ 3457782
Dear President Yudhoyono,
It was with great dismay that we received news that your
government has not yet issued visas to Justice Prafullachandra
Bhagwati of India, Professor Yozo Yokota of Japan, and Ms. Shaista
Shameem of Fiji. These three eminent persons comprise the members of
the Commission of Experts appointed by the United Nations
Secretary-General to review the justice processes in Indonesia and
East Timor.
With Indonesia currently chairing the United Nations Human Rights
Commission, this is an ideal time for your country to take the lead
in promoting and protecting human rights in Southeast Asia. It is
inexplicable that, instead of demonstrating a clear commitment to
human rights on the world stage, the government is instead
expressing less than full cooperation regarding the
Secretary-General’s own distinguished representatives.
We urge you to grant the three commissioners their visas and
extend them full cooperation, including: (a) freedom of movement
throughout Indonesia; (b) free access to all relevant documents,
including those in possession of investigative, prosecutorial, and
judicial institutions; (c) freedom to meet and interview all persons
in possession of information considered necessary by the Commission;
and (d) appropriate security arrangements that do not restrict the
Commission’s freedom of movement, as is required under the
Commission’s terms of reference set out by the Secretary-General.
Sincerely,
John M. Miller,
Coordinator
East Timor Action Network |
Kenneth Roth,
Executive Director
Human Rights Watch |
Juan E. Mendez , President
International Center for Transitional Justice |
Charles Scheiner, Secretariat
International Federation for East Timor |
Nina Bang-Jensen, Executive Director
Coalition for International Justice |
James A. Goldston, Executive Director
Open Society Justice Initiative |
Cc: H.E. Mr. Rezlan Ishar Jenie, Permanent Representative
to the United Nations; Dr. Makarim Wibisono, Chair of the United
Nations Commission on Human Rights; Dr. N. Hassan Wirajuda, Minister
of Foreign Affairs
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