genocide
From: "Andrew Haydon Alcock" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Date: Tue, 29 Dec 1998 09:44:42 +1030
Sender: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Precedence: bulk
Campaign for an Independent East Timor (S.A.) Inc.
(Member of the Australian Coalition for a Free East Timor and the
East
Timor Relief Association/Affiliated to the Australian East Timor
Network)
first floor Torrens House
220 Victoria Square,
ADELAIDE
SOUTH AUSTRALIA 5000
MEDIA RELEASE 29 DECEMBER 1998
PORTUGAL SEEKS EXTRADITION OF SUHARTO FOR GENOCIDE
The Campaign for an Independent East Timor released a statement
today
following the announcement by the Portuguese section of the
International
Jurists' Commission (ICJ) that it will seek to extradite General
Suharto.
Inspired by the Spanish attempt to extradite the former Chilean
dictator,
General Augusto Pinochet, the ICJ intends to file a suit against
Suharto
charging him with genocide, torture and summary executions in East
Timor.
The statement was made by the Campaign's Information Officer,
Andrew
Alcock:
"The move by the Portuguese section of the ICJ to have former
Indonesian
dictator General Suharto extradited is a very significant
international
move. Hopefully, it will force the Indonesian regime to reconsider
its
intentions in East Timor.
All who support justice and independence for East Timor will
support this
move. There is great hope that it will succeed. Lawyers consider
that
Suharto's extradition would be easier than Pinochet's from London
to Spain,
because the crimes Suharto is accused of were committed in
territory still
recognised by the United Nations as Portuguese.
The suit, which will be filed in January 1999, will also put
pressure on a
number of governments to review their relationships with Indonesia
especially those, like Australia, that continue military and
diplomatic
cooperation.
Hopefully, it will also put pressure on the UN to advance the
peace process
in East Timor.
Mr Jamsheed Marker, the Special UN Envoy to East Timor visited the
country
between 19-20 December. He called on both sides to show restraint,
but did
not condemn the Indonesian dictatorship which is clearly
responsible for
genocide and continuing human rights abuses. He also failed to
criticise
the regime for its dishonesty over its troop movements in East
Timor.
Further, Mr Marker failed to visit Alas, the site of the most
recent
massacre which allegedly claimed between 50 - 100 lives in late
1998. His
earlier visit, a few months earlier, was only 3 hours long.
There is a pressing need for the UN to take decided action. Mr
Kenneth
Songuist, the Canadian Ambassador to Indonesia, after a recent
visit to
East Timor has claimed that human rights abuses against civilians
have
intensified there over the past 2 months.
We call on the UN to devote more resources and personnel to East
Timor to:
stop further loss of life and human rights abuses
provide humanitarian aid
monitor Indonesian troop movements
investigate crimes against humanity
initiate a referendum for self determination".
Andrew (Andy) Alcock
Information Officer
CIET(SA) Inc
Spokesperson
Australian Coalition for a Free East Timor
Phone: 08 83710480 (home)
Pager: 08 84157467
Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
end
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