Jakarta – The joint Commission for Truth and Friendship (CTF) announced Wednesday it had completed its final report on human rights violations committed during the 1999 independence vote in East Timor.

The commission plans to submit the report to the Indonesian and Timor Leste presidents on May 26, said CTF deputy chairman Agus Widjojo. It was initially scheduled to file the report on March 31, but delayed this following an assassination attempt that left Timor Leste President Jose Ramos-Horta seriously wounded

The commission had said the report would be submitted when Horta had completely recovered from his injuries.

"We asked for the delay because we also needed some time to discuss the report's contents. Now we have finished it and we are in the production stage, including translating the report into English," said Agus.

"We plan to submit it on May 26 but it depends on the two presidents. We are still waiting for confirmation from President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono."

He said the report accommodated recommendations from the International Center for Transitional Justice (ICTJ), an NGO that has been critical of the CTF's work.

In January, the ICTJ recommended the commission identify and name report witnesses and carefully scrutinize the evidence given at the commission's public hearings.

It also demanded the commission make substantial efforts to respond to allegations made at those public hearings against the United Nations and to regain the confidence of Timorese, Indonesian and international stakeholders and observers.

ICTJ senior associate Galuh Wandita said the CTF members took the recommendations positively when her organization proposed them three months ago. "I hope the commission applies some or all of our recommendations. Let's see in their upcoming final report," said Galuh.

The CTF, which began its work in 2005, is made up of officials from Indonesia and Timor Leste. The joint commission was established to review documents from previous transitional justice institutions, reveal the truth regarding human rights violations in the former Indonesian province of East Timor and produce a final report.

The report comprised CTF's findings and conclusions on violence in East Timor following the UN-sponsored independence vote in 1999. (trw)