Jakarta – An Indonesian human rights court to try those accused of violence in East Timor in 1999 must meet international standards, the visiting president of the UN Human Rights Commission said on Wednesday.

"It [the tribunal] should be done under Indonesian law but it is also very important that international parameters are respected and these principles guide the judgement," Leandro Despouy said, speaking through a translator. "People must be judged by the national law but this law must also conform to international law," he said. Despouy said the tribunal would be closely monitored by international observers and that the press "will be very vigilant."

He hailed as "positive" last week's move by President Megawati Sukarnoputri to name judges to try military officers and others accused of human rights abuses before and after the UN-organised independence ballot in East Timor in August 1999.

He also welcomed Indonesia's Supreme Court decision to increase the jail terms on three East Timorese militiamen involved in the brutal killing of three UN employees in West Timor.

"When in Geneva on the 18th of March I will be able to inform the commission that in Indonesia the tribunal has been established, procedures in terms of international cooperation are both rapid and efficient and there has been some progress made in terms of the accusation and judgement." "I also hope to be able to say to the international community that all of this has been done in respect to the international parameters," he said.

Despouy said the UN human rights commission would provide training as soon as possible for judges on the tribunal.

Megawati last week named 18 non-career judges and 12 career judges to work on the tribunal. The court will also try alleged offenders in the Tanjung Priok case, in which the military shot dead at least nine Muslim demonstrators in 1984, in addition to the Timor case. The trials could start early next month, officials have said.