Ex-leader testifies on E Timor
BBC Thursday, 20 March, 2003, 11:02 GMT
Indonesia's president at the time of the 1999 independence referendum
in
East Timor, BJ Habibie, has been testifying on the bloodshed during the
vote.
Mr Habibie denied that his government had attempted to sway the vote
by
ordering a violent campaign of intimidation.
He told a human rights court in Jakarta that his government had taken
measures to prevent violence, which he described as "criminal action".
The former president, who now lives in Germany, was testifying at the
trial
of a senior military commander, Brigadier General Tono Suratman, who is
accused of failing to prevent attacks on pro-independence leaders and
civilians in East Timor.
At least 1,000 people died in the violence surrounding the referendum,
in
which East Timorese voted overwhelming for independence, before
international peacekeepers were deployed to restore order.
Many of those killed were caught in rampages by militia groups opposed
to
an end to Indonesian rule. International human rights groups have accused
Jakarta of orchestrating the militias.
"If there was any link to Jakarta, there would have been a written
or
unwritten order to carry this out," Mr Habibie said.
"But in fact, the opposite occurred. We prepared systematic measures
to
prevent (violence)," he said, arguing that "I would have never
justified
any systematic attempts to violate human rights."
The former president's comment contradict the defence of Brigadier
Suratman, who has argued that he was carrying out orders from Jakarta.
Mr Habibie attributed the fighting in part to the hurried nature of the
UN-organised referendum. He said the UN only informed Jakarta one hour
before it announced that it was moving forward the announcement of the
result by three days.
"We had very little time to anticipate reaction from the losing
side," Mr
Habibie said.
Brigadier Suratman is accused of failing to prevent two massacres in
April
in which a total of 32 people were killed.
He is one of two remaining suspects on trial for alleged crimes against
humanity in Jakarta.
The Jakarta court, which was set up because of international pressure
on
Indonesia, has been criticised by human rights activists for acquitting
11
of the defendants.
But rights groups say the real perpetrators of the violence were never
brought to trial in the first place.
UN-funded prosecutors in East Timor last month issued their own indictments
against seven Indonesian officers.
A BBC correspondent said this was largely a symbolic gesture of frustration
at the Jakarta trials. Indonesia has said it will not hand the men over
to
East Timor.
----
Jakarta trials
18 defendants
5 convicted - all free pending appeals
Indonesians convicted: Col. Soejarwo, Police commander Hulman Gultom,
Noer
Muis - now brigadier general
E Timorese convicted: Former governor Abilio Soares and former militia
leader Eurico Guterres
11 acquitted - including former Indonesian police chief in E Timor, Timbo
Salaen, and former Indonesian army chief in Dili, Endar Priyanto
2 top army officers still awaiting verdicts
Indonesia's former military chief, Gen. Wiranto, and other top officers
never charged