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UN, Jakarta put heads together on pursuing justice

Source
Sydney Morning Herald - May 31, 2000

Mark Dodd, Jakarta – The United Nations chief in East Timor, Mr Sergio Vieira de Mello, has sought the co-operation of Indonesia's judiciary for investigations into crimes committed by pro-Jakarta militia and their army backers after last year's bloody vote for independence.

In talks in Jakarta yesterday with President Abdurrahman Wahid, the Foreign Minister, Mr Alwi Shihab, and the Attorney-General, Mr Marzuki Darusman, Mr Vieira de Mello promised UN support for a visit to East Timor by Indonesian investigators. The date for the visit has yet to be announced.

Mr Vieira de Mello said there had been an exchange of letters between the UN administration and Jakarta. He said discussions would focus on how the investigators Mr Darusman planned sending to East and West Timor could be assisted, and how the Indonesian judiciary would support the UN's investigation of special cases to be submitted in the future.

The talks follow the February 29 signing of a memorandum of understanding on judicial co-operation and support between Indonesia and the UN mission in East Timor.

Under strong international pressure, Indonesia is conducting its own investigation into those responsible for the deaths of up to 15,000 East Timorese and the looting and destruction of millions of dollars worth of property.

UN jails in East Timor now hold 112 prisoners, about half of whom face charges of multiple murder connected to last year's violence. Evidence from their trials could be used to indict senior militia leaders or Indonesian military officials.

Mr Vieira de Mello assured Indonesian reporters that East Timorese refugees who wished to return home from camps in Indonesian West Timor would have no security concerns.

Militia leaders implicated in crimes would be dealt with according to the law and by the new and independent East Timorese judiciary, he said.

Despite several recent incidents along the border involving suspected militia, Mr Vieira de Mello said security had improved and that "by and large the situation was stable". An Australian peacekeeper was slightly injured in a militia grenade attack on a border surveillance post on Sunday.

Mr Vieira de Mello said he was pleased with the outcome of talks with Mr Shihab on the opening of a transit route from the East Timor border to the Oecussi enclave, progress on pension payments to former civil servants and support for East Timorese students wanting to resume tertiary studies in Indonesia.

Mr Shihab said that in principle Indonesia had no objections to the Oecussi route. Senior UN officials and Dili-based diplomats have privately blamed the Indonesian military for obstructing negotiations on opening up the route through West Timor.

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