Prosecutors yesterday demanded that East Timor's former Indonesian-appointed governor be sent to prison for 10 and a half years – just six months more than the minimum sentence for crimes against humanity.

Abilio Soares is one of 18 Indonesian military and government officials charged over violence that left more than 1,000 people dead and wrecked East Timor after it voted for independence from Indonesia in 1999.

He was the first of the group to hear his possible fate. Soares, who has denied any wrongdoing, said nothing as the prosecutors' demand was read out.

"This is about the best we can hope for," said Agung Yudhawiranata, who is monitoring the trials for the Jakarta-based Institute for Policy Research and Advocacy. "They either can set him free or give the minimum. If they set him free, people will be very upset." Under Indonesia's human rights laws, Soares could still potentially face a death sentence if found guilty as judges are under no obligation to follow prosecutors' requests.

Jakarta is under intense international pressure to punish those responsible for the destruction of East Timor after a UN sponsored independence referendum in August 1999. Critics are sceptical, however, that any of the defendants will taste proper justice.

Judges will hear from Soares' defence lawyers next week and then issue a verdict.

Prosecutors today reiterated that Soares was guilty of failing to prevent pro-Jakarta militias from taking part in four massacres.

"During the trial, we found that the defendant knew that his subordinates ... were paying the [militiamen]," prosecutor Harry Ismi said. "The governor did not prevent them from committing widespread and systematic violence and he has not shown any remorse for his actions."

In a separate human rights trial today, former Indonesian Foreign Minister Ali Alatas told the court that ex-President B.J. Habibie had authorised the 1999 referendum because he was tired of the international criticism Indonesia had to endure for its occupation of East Timor.

"Habibie said it would be better to lose East Timor now rather than fund it and face continuous condemnation for the next five to ten years," Alatas said at the trial of former East Timor police chief Timbul Silean.

Alatas also insisted it was the police, not the military, who were responsible for security in East Timor in 1999.

"It is clear that the [Indonesian] police had the responsibility to maintain security and order all over East Timor because we rejected the presence of foreign forces," Alatas said. He did not, however, link Silean directly to any of the violence.