The Jakarta Post, February 20, 2007
Alatas testifies at Timor human rights hearing
Rita A. Widiadana and Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, Sanur
Former foreign minister Ali Alatas became the first Indonesian former official Monday
to testify before the Commission of Truth and Friendship (CTF) established by
Indonesia and Timor Leste.
His appearance launched the public hearings on human rights violations following the
1999 referendum that led to Timor Leste's independence from Indonesia.
Alatas gave his testimony after being sworn in. Some 100 people listened attentively
at the Sanur Paradise Hotel.
Violence related to the referendum caused at least 1,500 deaths, according to a UN
report. Alatas said neither the government nor the international community was able
to anticipate such a reaction to the referendum.
"My worst fear occurred. We (the Indonesian government) as well as the United
Nations bodies had never thought that it could cause such huge destruction," Alatas
said. .
"The situation there was really out of control and Gen. Wiranto (then Defense
Minister), finally agreed to allow foreign troops to enter East Timor to maintain
security and order after he visited the sites with UN representatives," Alatas said.
The retired general is scheduled to testify in April or May.
The commission began hearing testimony after inspecting documents, amid
controversy over whether the focus would be on punishing the perpetrators or on
"friendship" and amnesty.
A Timorese in the audience, 19-year-old Belinha Alves, said after experiencing the
bloody struggle for independence, all she wanted to see now was peace and good
relations with the former ruler.
"For me, what matters most is a peaceful future. But we need to know the truth about
our past. I believe this commission will provide us with this. We will accept its report
and move on to a new beginning with Indonesia."
"I have many relatives in Indonesia so I can't see why we can't have good relations as
a neighbor," Belinha said.
The Commission, established in 2005, comprises five representatives from each
country. It has a mandate until August 2007. Modeled on similar bodies set up in
South Africa, Chile and Argentina, it has no powers to prosecute human rights
violators. However, it can give recommendations to both governments to grant
amnesty to people who have confessed to involvement and expressed remorse, and to
compensate victims.
The CTF co-chairman from Timor Leste, Dionisio Babo Soares, said most victims had
agreed that reconciliation should not necessarily be achieved through international
trials but that they expected the CTF to become part of the solution by uncovering the
truth.
"This is the most realistic solution considering Timor Leste's condition and its political
and economic relations with Indonesia," Soares said.
Survivors who shared their testimonies on Monday were Emilio Bareto, who was in the
"pro-independence" camp, and Mateus Carvalho, a former "pro-integration" militia
member.
Sessions will continue on Tuesday to hear Indonesian Ambassador to Portugal
Francisco Xavier Lopes da Cruz, Eko Budiharjo of the Rector Forum, and two more
survivors.
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