The international rights group Human Rights Watch called on Indonesia to turn over for trial its officials accused of organizing atrocities committed in East Timor in 1999.

In a statement released here, Human Rights Watch urged Jakarta to extradite the officials for trial in the East Timor capital Dili.

United Nations prosecutors in East Timor said Tuesday they had indicted Indonesia's former defence minister and military chief, Wiranto, for crimes against humanity in the territory in 1999.

The Serious Crimes Unit said it had indicted Wiranto, six other senior officers and the then-governor for murder, deportation and persecution of independence supporters before and after East Timorese voted in August that year to break away from Indonesia. The indictment covers crimes committed before and after East Timor's referendum on independence in August 1999.

"This is the first genuine attempt to hold senior officials accountable for the organized violence in 1999," said Brad Adams, executive director of the Asia Division at Human Rights Watch.

"The big test now will be whether Indonesia is prepared to arrest those indictees in Indonesia and send them to Dili for trial," he said. "This will require a fundamental change in Indonesia's attitude towards justice for East Timor."

In September 1999, the Indonesian military and pro-Jakarta Timorese militias went on a rampage of murder, arson and forced expulsion after the people of East Timor voted for independence in a United Nations administered referendum.

An estimated 1,000 to 2,000 East Timorese civilians were killed in the months before, and days immediately after, the voting, and some 500,000 people were forced from their homes or fled to seek refuge.

Indonesian Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda indicated Jakarta would ignore the UN indictments.