Desy Nurhayati, Jakarta – The joint Indonesia-Timor Leste Truth and Friendship Commission (CTF) is scheduled to hold its final hearing today, which could see Timor Leste Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao testify, along with several other key witnesses.
In a statement made available to The Jakarta Post over the weekend, the CTF said that several people had replied to a summons and had agreed to give their testimony.
They are Thomas Acquino Goncalves, Rui Emiliano Teixeira Lopes, Teotonio Assis, Francisco Lopes de Carvalho, Jhony Marques, Jhony Franca, Marcus Baquin and Sancho Ramos de Reisureicao. However, the commission could not provide further details on their identities.
"Details about them, including their status, either as a suspect, witnesses or victim, will be explained by our co-chairmen prior to the session," CTF spokesperson Krishna Hanan told the Post on Sunday.
The fifth phase of the hearing, the first to be held in Dili, will run from Monday to Thursday and will be attended by commissioners from both countries.
Monday's hearing will be a closed session only attended by commissioners, with Timor Leste Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao and Timor Leste Armed Forces chief Taur Matan Ruak scheduled to testify.
Krishna confirmed that Xanana would give his testimony Monday during a visit by CTF commissioners to the prime minister. The commission has yet to confirm the schedule for Taur's hearing.
The CTF also questioned former president B.J. Habibie at the Habibie Center in a closed session on March 27.
During the open session from Tuesday to Thursday, the CTF will hear testimony from historical actors, alleged perpetrators, witnesses and victims.
Jamsheed Marker, the former United Nations Secretary General's special envoy for Timor Leste reconciliation, has also been summoned by the CTF but has yet to reply to the invitation. If Marker is absent, the CTF would once again fail to present a UN official in its hearing sessions.
In the fourth session on July 23, it failed to present five UN officials involved in the 1999 referendum that led to the bloody attacks by the Indonesian Military-backed militias on supporters of East Timor's secession from Indonesia.
The officials were former UN secretary-general Kofi Annan, former head of the UN Mission for East Timor Ian Martin, former general prosecutor for serious crimes Siri Frigraad and former UN civilian police commander Allan Mills.
The CTF's investigation on the 1999 violence has not received support from the UN, which criticized the commission for providing amnesty for those who violated human rights. UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon has prohibited UN officials from testifying at the commission.
Many have criticized the CTF's performance and questioned whether its findings will have any credibility with the victims or the international community since no one has been found guilty.
Krishna said that during the visit to Dili, CTF commissioners would also visit Timor Leste's political leaders and government officials, including the attorney general, to obtain more documents in connection to the 1999 riots.
After the hearing, the CTF will also hold a workshop themed "Finding the Truth and Fostering Relationship" in an attempt to get input on how Indonesia and Timor Leste can promote reconciliation and the relationship between the two countries.