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U.S.
Criticized for Interference in Indonesia’s Rights Trials
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| A former East Timor police chief in Jakarta after Indonesia’s human rights court found him not guilty of crimes against humanity |
By
Kazi Mahmood, IOL South East Asia correspondent
KUALA
LUMPUR, August 23 (IslamOnline) - Indonesia lambasted the U.S. for its
interference in Indonesia’s rights trials, news agencies reported on
Friday, August 23, from Jakarta.
Indonesian
Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda asserted on Thursday, August 22, that
the United States government had no right to interfere in the process
of the East Timor human rights trials in Indonesia.
“I
appeal to the U.S. not to make any judgment on the ongoing process,”
he said as quoted by Antara news agency.
The
U.S. recently expressed disappointment about the court trials of a
number of Indonesian military, police and civil officials for alleged
human rights abuses in East Timor.
Six
of the accused was released, the court failing to find them guilty of
the charges against them.
The
U.S. has in the past been slapped for its comments surrounding human
rights or political cases in the region. A few years ago it was under
attack from Malaysian politicians for its criticism of the Malaysian
judiciary system and the Internal Security Act (ISA).
It
was also taken to task over comments made about the fate of Anwar
Ibrahim, the former deputy premier that is now in jail for sodomy and
corruption.
Wirayuda
said the current process was still in its initial stage and the
parties could still take further legal steps. His statement was meant
to appease the anger and disappointment around the world, sources
said.
On
the other hand, Indonesia believes its relations with the U.S. will
not be affected by the acquittal of the six defendants allegedly
involved in the violence in East Timor.
Two
special courts ruled Thursday that there was no evidence to show that
a general and five other officers allowed subordinates to take part in
massacres in the former Indonesian province.
A
day earlier, another court found a former governor guilty but
sentenced him to only three years in jail.
The
human rights tribunal has so far passed sentence on seven out of 19
defendants in the trials. One of them, former East Timor Governor
Abilio Jose Osorio Soares, was sentenced to three years in jail, while
seven others, military and police officers were acquitted.
“There
has not been any negative impact on our relationship with the United
States including their plan to help us,” Wirayuda said. “The
trials must be respected. The international community is
prejudiced.”
Eleven
more military and government officials are on trial for allowing the
violence in East Timor. Nearly 1,000 were killed by the Indonesian
military and its proxy militias after voters approved an independence
referendum in 1999.
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