Damien Murphy – Australia would be guided by East Timor's attitudes on how it wished to come to terms with human rights abuses that took place before independence, a Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesman said yesterday.
He was commenting on a report detailing atrocities during Indonesia's 24-year occupation compiled by the Commission for Reception, Truth and Reconciliation due to be delivered today to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan.
The Foreign Affairs spokesman said the Government had yet to see a copy of the report and was unable to comment.
"[But] we note that the President, Xanana Gusmao, and the Foreign Minister, Jose Ramos Horta, have publicly expressed reservations about international community reparations," he said.
"Australia will continue to be guided by East Timorese preferences of how to take forward the processes of justice for human rights abuses in East Timor up to and including the 1999 atrocities."
Stories based on a leaked copy of the report were published by The Australian yesterday and included claims that the Indonesian government and military were responsible for the deaths of up to 180,000 East Timorese during Indonesia's occupation of the former Portuguese colony.
It also reportedly revealed the Indonesian military used starvation as a weapon to exterminate the East Timorese.
The Foreign Affairs spokesman said Australia welcomed the appointment by East Timor and Indonesia of a Truth and Friendship Commission in August last year to establish the truth about human rights violations in East Timor in 1999 and recommend ways to promote reconciliation.
The acting Opposition Leader, Jenny Macklin, said East Timor needed to look ahead and Australia could give more assistance. "We are yet to see this report... but I think we can take the lead that's being provided by Xanana Gusmao," Ms Macklin said. "[Mr Gusmao] is really saying that the important issue for East Timor is... to really do everything possible to enhance development and opportunity for people in East Timor." Australia should do all it could to help, she said.