SERIOUS CRIMES UNIT ISSUES TWO NEW INDICTMENTS
Dili, 06 November 2002
The Serious Crimes Unit today issued two new indictments to the Special Panel for Serious Crimes of the Dili District Court.
One of the indictments involves crimes allegedly committed by five members of the Mahadomi militia in Manatuto District during 1999. One of the five is the former Bupati (district chief) of Manatuto and the founder and commander of the militia group. The other four men were section commanders in the Mahadomi militia.
The indictment contains 13 charges of crimes against humanity. Five of the counts concern the murder of six men in May and September 1999. The other counts include charges of torture, imprisonment, persecution and deportation committed within Manatuto District between May and October 1999. The five accused men are all believed to be residing in Indonesia at the present time.
The second indictment is against two Indonesian officers who were members of the Indonesian Battalion 745 which was stationed in Lautem District during 1999. One of the accused was the commanding officer of Battalion 745 and the other a platoon commander.
The indictment charges 17 counts of crimes against humanity, including 14 counts of murder in which members of Battalion 745 are alleged to have killed 21 civilians during September 1999. Many of the civilians were killed during the Battalion’s withdrawal from East Timor, as they travelled overland from Lautem to Dili on 20 and 21 September 1999. Included within the charges is the murder of Sander Thoenes, a Dutch journalist who was allegedly killed by members of Battalion 745 in Dili on 21 September 1999.
This is the first indictment to be issued by the Serious Crimes Unit which charges Indonesian soldiers for their conduct, independent of their involvement with militia groups in East Timor. All of the counts in the indictment concern crimes committed directly by members of Battalion 745.
Both of the accused are believed to be residing in Indonesia at the present time.
Arrest warrants
have been requested from the Dili District Court in respect of the accused
on both indictments. Once received by the General Prosecutor, these will
be forwarded to the Attorney General of Indonesia. The arrest warrants
will also be forwarded to INTERPOL. Timor-Leste became a member of INTERPOL
late last month.