Agence France Presse
April 17, 2003 Thursday
Indonesia's top judge hits out at Amnesty over Timor trial criticism
JAKARTA,
The head of Indonesia's Supreme Court has hit out at Amnesty International
for describing trials of suspects in the 1999 East Timor violence as "not
honest, truthful or fair," it was reported Thursday.
"That
group has never been satisfied with other people's work," Bagir Manan
was quoted by the Koran Tempo daily as saying.
Manan said Amnesty's criticism should not be taken seriously.
"The
idea that human rights courts must not acquit defendants is not true.
If (the defendants' guilt is) not proven, what can you do?" he said.
Amnesty,
in a report issued on Tuesday, urged the United Nations to
consider setting up a tribunal to try the atrocities that took place before
and after East Timor's breakaway from Indonesia.
"It
is now time for the UN to find alternative ways to ensure that justice
is delivered in an effective and credible process" the London-based
rights
group said.
Pro-Jakarta
militiamen organised and directed by the Indonesian army waged
a campaign of intimidation before East Timorese voted in August 1999 for
independence, and a scorched-earth revenge campaign afterwards.
At least
1,000 people are estimated to have died -- Amnesty says 1,300 --
and whole towns were burnt to the ground.
that it would try offenders itself.
A special
human rights court, in widely criticised verdicts, has acquitted
10 security force members and a civilian.
Five people
have been ordered jailed but only one has received the minimum
10-year sentence mandated by law. All are free pending appeals.
Amnesty
said indictments were weak and failed to address the role of the
Indonesian military in setting up and supporting the militias.