[asia-apec 1858] Rights Activists Welcome Ratification Of Int'l Criminal Court, But Say E. Timor Needs Own Tribunal

[John M. Miller]

For Release

Contact: John M. Miller, 718-596-7668; 917-690-4391

Human Rights Activists Welcome Ratification Of International Criminal 
Court, But Say East Timor Needs Own Tribunal


April 11, 2002 - An East Timorese legislator joined the East Timor Action 
Network/U.S. (ETAN) in welcoming today's ratification of the International 
Criminal Court (ICC) Treaty. The court will be able to hear future cases of 
crimes against humanity, genocide and war crimes.

"We look forward to the start of the international court's operations. The 
court's creation makes a strong statement that the worst abuses must be 
prosecuted. However, the ICC comes too late for East Timorese and other 
victims of past systematic rights violations," said John M. Miller, 
spokesperson for ETAN. The court's jurisdiction is not retroactive.

"While the ICC can not hold accountable the perpetrators of the crimes 
against humanity inflicted in East Timor since Indonesia's 1975 invasion, 
it can help prevent future atrocities," said East Timorese lawyer Aderito 
de Jesus Soares. A member of the East Timorese legislature and the founder 
of the East Timor Jurist Association, Soares is currently in New York to 
observe this week's UN Preparatory Commission for the Establishment of the 
ICC.

East Timor, which becomes independent on May 20, plans to sign and ratify 
all international human rights treaties, including the ICC, following 
independence.

"We know what is like to live under a regime that systematically tortures, 
rapes and murders," said Soares. "Even now, Indonesia is not prosecuting 
the high-ranking officers and political officials who planned and directed 
crimes against humanity committed in East Timor."

Soares and ETAN reiterated their call for an international tribunal to be 
established to prosecute those most responsible for Indonesia's scorched 
earth campaigns in East Timor.

"An international tribunal on East Timor will ensure the prosecution of top 
Indonesian military and government officials, said Soares.

"The ICC is important, but serious past crimes must not be ignored. The 
Bush administration appears to lack the political will to call for an 
international tribunal for East Timor and some European government 
officials argue that a new tribunal will detract from ICC resources. These 
misguided positions imply that because of bad timing the people of East 
Timor do not deserve justice," said Miller.

"The severely flawed Indonesian ad hoc court now hearing cases against some 
mid-level Indonesian military officers and East Timorese in Jakarta is a 
sham. Its jurisdiction is too limited and powerful military figures sit in 
court to intimidate the judges. Indonesia's refusal to extradite suspects 
to East Timor means that many remain out of reach," said Miller.

"This is exactly the kind of national failure that the ICC is meant to 
redress. Support for the ICC by the international community demonstrates 
that such cases require international measures to achieve justice," he added.

Recently, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, citing 
problems with the Indonesian court, called "upon the international 
community to reconsider the recommendations of the [United Nations] 
International Commission of Inquiry on East Timor, including that 
concerning the establishment by the United Nations of an international 
human rights tribunal."

"The U.S. should ratify the ICC Treaty out of concern for human rights 
worldwide. Instead the Bush administration refuses to consider ratification 
and may try to rescind the U.S. signature, undermining global efforts for 
accountability and justice. The government's message is that while others 
can be held responsible for human rights violations, the same rules need 
not apply to the U.S.," said Miller.

After the people of East Timor overwhelmingly chose independence in an 
August 30, 1999 UN-organized referendum, the Indonesian military and its 
militia systematically destroyed East Timor. Up to 2000 East Timorese were 
killed, 70 per cent of the infrastructure destroyed and hundreds of women 
and girls raped. Hundreds of thousands were forced from their homes; some 
60,000 of these remain in squalid militia-controlled Indonesian camps.

The East Timor Action Network/U.S. (ETAN) supports human dignity for the 
people of East Timor by advocating for democracy, sustainable development, 
social, legal, and economic justice and human rights, including women's 
rights. ETAN has 26 local chapters throughout the U.S. For additional 
information see ETAN's web site (http://www.etan.org).

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John M. Miller         Internet: john at etan.org

Media & Outreach Coordinator
East Timor Action Network: 10 Years for Self-Determination & Justice

48 Duffield St., Brooklyn, NY 11201 USA
Phone: (718)596-7668      Fax: (718)222-4097
Mobile phone: (917)690-4391
Web site: http://www.etan.org

Support ETAN, make a secure financial contribution: 
http://etan.org/etan/donate.htm

Send a blank e-mail message to info at etan.org to find out
how to learn more about East Timor on the Internet
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