Indonesian Wins Appeal Against Rights Verdict

By AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

JAKARTA, Indonesia, Nov. 5 (Agence France-Presse) - The only Indonesian jailed for abuses during East
Timor's violence-marred independence referendum was cleared on appeal on Thursday, a decision that has
angered rights groups and embarrassed the government.

The official, Abilio Soares, the last Indonesian governor of East Timor, who was sentenced in July to
three years in jail, could be released soon.

The Supreme Court ruling on Thursday acquitted him of crimes against humanity during the United
Nations-backed referendum in 1999. The court said that because East Timor was under military rule at the
time, Mr. Soares, the civilian governor, was not responsible, said a spokesman, Joko Upoyo.

Eighteen people were sentenced by an Indonesian tribunal investigating the violence, in which at least
1,400 people died as troops and pro-Jakarta militias waged a savage intimidation campaign.

But all have now had their convictions quashed, meaning that no senior Indonesian officials or
military or police officers have been convicted. Only Eurico Guterres, a notorious East Timor militiaman,
faces jail, pending an appeal.

Rights groups say the tribunal was a sham set up to deflect calls for an international inquiry into the
violence.

Last month the departing American ambassador, Ralph Boyce, said Indonesia's failure to make its soldiers
accountable for abuses was a missed chance to revive military ties with Washington. Both the American and
the European Union governments said the trials were flawed.

Indonesia's foreign minister, Hassan Wirayuda, said Mr. Soares's acquittal would fuel international
criticism on Indonesia's efforts to prosecute Timor human rights cases.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/06/international/asia/06timor.html