Dili – East Timorese students and human rights groups called Tuesday for an international court to judge those responsible for human rights abuses during the Indonesian occupation of Timor, on the anniversary of a massacre in which over 100 people died.

At a rally commemorating the twelfth anniversary of the massacre in Dili's Santa Cruz cemetery, students and members of NGOs carried placards of ex-Indonesian president Suharto and the former commander of Jakarta's armed forces, General Wiranto.

An international war crimes tribunal for the two senior officials was demanded by the protesters. A crowd of about 2000 gathered to hear Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri and the speaker of the Dili parliament, Francisco Guterres, recall the significance of the Santa Cruz massacre in Timor's independence struggle.

Alkatiri told the crowd that the demonstration preceding the massacre "represented the courage of Timor's youth". The events of November 12, 1992 had shocked the world and were a key moment in Timor's independence fight, said Alkatiri.

Speaking for President Xanana Gusma, who is currently overseas, Francisco Guterres said the events at Santa Cruz would always remain in Timor's history. He added that the slayings of unarmed civilians proved that "the liberation struggle was a long and difficult battle".