Indonesia's former military chief testified it was...
Indonesia's former military chief testified it was the United Nations, not the Indonesian army, that was to blame for the violence that wracked East Timor after the 1999 poll for independence
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Indonesia's former military chief testified it was the United Nations, not the Indonesian army, that was to blame for the violence that wracked East Timor after the 1999 poll for independence.
"The chaos happened because of dissatisfaction over the irregularities in the vote," retired General Wiranto said during the trial of East Timor police chief Timbul Silaen on charges of crimes against humanity.
The UN organised the independence referendum in which the overwhelming majority of East Timorese residents opted to secede from Indonesia.
General Wiranto also insisted the police and military did their best to control the violence in East Timor and that he played the role of peacemaker.
Silaen is one of 18 high-ranking senior Indonesian officials and militiamen charged with allowing the killings of hundreds of civilians in East Timor. They are being tried in a human rights trial set up in 2000 by Indonesia in an effort to avert the creation of an international war crimes tribunal akin to those for former Yugoslavia and Rwanda.
Human rights groups pressed for the international tribunal, saying the Indonesian courts would fail to charge top ranking military leaders such as Wiranto. They say the trials are flawed because judges are inexperienced and the courts corrupt.
"The chaos happened because of dissatisfaction over the irregularities in the vote," retired General Wiranto said during the trial of East Timor police chief Timbul Silaen on charges of crimes against humanity.
The UN organised the independence referendum in which the overwhelming majority of East Timorese residents opted to secede from Indonesia.
General Wiranto also insisted the police and military did their best to control the violence in East Timor and that he played the role of peacemaker.
Silaen is one of 18 high-ranking senior Indonesian officials and militiamen charged with allowing the killings of hundreds of civilians in East Timor. They are being tried in a human rights trial set up in 2000 by Indonesia in an effort to avert the creation of an international war crimes tribunal akin to those for former Yugoslavia and Rwanda.
Human rights groups pressed for the international tribunal, saying the Indonesian courts would fail to charge top ranking military leaders such as Wiranto. They say the trials are flawed because judges are inexperienced and the courts corrupt.
— SOURCES
- (Sources: Advertiser (Adelaide) 05/04/2002)
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