A UN official of East Timor4s transitional administration Wednesday criticized Indonesia for its repeated delays in bring to trial military officers and officials indicted for human rights atrocities committed in the territory in 1999.

Just returned from talks with Indonesian officials in Jakarta, Dennis McNamara told reporters in Dili he wanted to see greater commitment by Indonesia to try those held responsible for the wave of anti-independence violence. "We have many issues to deal with and we need greater active cooperation by Indonesia, if we all want to work for real progress in Timor", McNamara said.

In Jakarta, Attorney General Marzuki Darusman dismissed the criticism, saying a special human rights court established earlier this year would begin functioning in Jakarta on schedule in December. He acknowledged, however, that the government had so far failed to call for hearings many military officers with knowledge of the atrocities.

Twenty-three officers, officials and paramilitary chiefs have been indicted for the scorched-earth campaign that left hundreds of East Timorese dead, transformed some 250,000 into refugees, and destroyed most of the territory4s towns and scarce infrastructure.