Sydney – Justice and human rights in East Timor are still not guaranteed even though a UN administration in the former Indonesian territory will end its mission there in a few months, Amnesty International said.
The international human rights group said in a statement released on Saturday the United Nations was failing in its primary task of ensuring that the protection of human rights was a core issue for a newly independent East Timor.
The UN administration in East Timor is due to begin winding up in January 2002 but law and order is barely maintained, basic human rights are not guaranteed and justice is not being administered effectively, the rights group said.
"Unfortunately the UN is failing in its primary task of ensuring that the new state of East Timor has protection and promotion of human rights at its core," said Amnesty International spokesman Tony O'Connor.
East Timor is set for is first democratic elections on August 30. No date has been set for its full independence but it is expected early next year.
A UN administration known as UNTAET took over the running of the territory in early 2000. It is charged with peacekeeping and the administration of East Timor in the run-up to the elections.
The UN administration was put in place after an Australian-led, UN-mandated peace enforcement mission was sent there to restore order in the wake of an August 1999 vote by East Timorese for independence after 23 years of often brutal Indonesian rule.
Pro-Jakarta militias backed by elements of the Indonesian military went on a bloody rampage in the wake of the vote to cut ties with Indonesia. Scores of East Timorese were killed in the violence and most of the capital Dili was razed.
The United Nations said on Wednesday it would begin reducing its East Timor presence after the tiny territory gained full independence in early 2002 but added it was still concerned by the militia groups across the border in Indonesian West Timor.
Amnesty International said the United Nations had a duty to leave an effective justice system and police force in place. "If the UN pulls out without leaving in place substantial support for the fledgling judicial system and police, its investment over the past two years will be jeopardised," O'Connor said.
Regional powers such as Australia have been training judges and lawyers since the UNTAET administration began and an independent judicial system is slowly being put in place. Policing is still mainly left to UNTAET. Campaigning for East Timor's 88-seat Constituent Assembly began on July 15. Sixteen parties will compete for seats in the parliament, which is to draft a new constitution.
In June 2001, UNTAET numbered some 7,900 troops, 1,400 police officers and more than 1,000 civilian staff.