ETAN Congratulates Judge Pillay on
Nomination to UN Human Rights Post
Urges Her to Vigorously Advocate for Justice for East
Timorese Victims
For Immediate Release
Contact: John M. Miller, National
Coordinator, +1/718-596-7668
July 24 -- The East Timor and Indonesian Action
Network (ETAN) today congratulated Navanethem Pillay on her
nomination as UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
"As human rights commissioner, Judge Pillay will become the
international community's chief advocate for human rights
and accountability, and we expect that she will vigorously
continue the United Nations' calls for justice and
accountability for the many human violations committed in
Timor-Leste during the Indonesian occupation," said John M.
Miller, National Coordinator of ETAN.
"We especially urge her to follow-up on the recommendations
of the UN's Commission of Experts, which called for the
creation of an international criminal tribunal within six
months if Indonesia fails "to ensure that accountability is
secured for those responsible for grave human rights
violations and human suffering on a massive scale..." The COE
report was completed in mid-2005.
"A tribunal is long overdue. The recently completed joint
Indonesia/Timor-Leste Commission on Truth and Friendship
must not be the last word on justice and accountability for
the serious crimes committed in Timor-Leste during Indonesia's illegal occupation," Miller added.
Timor-Leste's leaders have often said it is the
international community's responsibility to work for justice
for past human rights violations committed in their country.
Timor-Leste, they have said, is too near and economically
dependent to press its huge neighbor on the issue.
The UN has refused to cooperate with the joint
Indonesia/Timor-Leste CTF, which recently handed over its
report to the presidents of the two countries.
In a
statement in response to the hand over of the CTF report, UN
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on July 15 "encourage[d] the
Governments of Indonesia and Timor-Leste to take concrete
steps to ensure full accountability, to end impunity and to
provide reparations to victims in accordance with
international human rights standards."
Judge Pillay's nomination requires the approval of the
General Assembly.
ETAN was formed in 1991. The U.S.-based organization
advocates for democracy, justice and human rights for
Timor-Leste and Indonesia. For more information see ETAN's
web site: http://www.etan.org.
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