[The attendance in court of two defence witnesses (a de charge), namely Mr Kay Rala Xanana Gusmao and Mr Sri Bintang Pamungkas did not eventuate on May 26 as scheduled. They were intended to appear in the trials of Wilson bin Nurtias (PRD leader and Coordinator of SPRIM - Indonesian People in Solidarity Struggle with the Maubere People) and Gustin Anom Astika., Head, Department of Education and Propoganda, PRD. We publish below a translation of a statement issued by Xana Gusmao regarding his inability tio attend the trial - ASIET.]

Xanana Gusmao - Explanation of my inability to attend court as a witness

I greatly regret that I have been forcibly prevented by the bureaucracy from attending the South Jakarta Court as a defence witness as determined by the South Jakarta Judges Panel in the case of mr Anom Astika.

The letter of determination form the judges panel was delivered to the Prison Governor on Wednesday afternoon.

But the Prison Governor only applied to the District Office of the Department of Justice on Friday afternoon. This is information from the Prison Governor today at 9.00 am Monday, 26 May.

I am afraid I have to say that this problem has resulted from a lack of coordination among different sections of the Department of Justice, even though there has already been a determination from the Court. So I am afraid I have to state that there has been a disregard for the independence and authority of the judges and the court by elements in the bureaucracy.

I hope that these errors of the bureaucracy can be quickly corrected so that my concerns do not become public opinion in general. It is my hope that in the name of democracy and the independence of the judicial institutions, that I am able to appear before the court at the earliest possible opportunity.