-Caveat Lector- from: http://www.zolatimes.com/V3.38/pageone.html <A HREF="http://www.zolatimes.com/V3.38/pageone.html">Laissez Faire City Times - Volume 3 Issue 38</A> ----- Laissez Faire City Times September 27, 1999 - Volume 3, Issue 38 Editor & Chief: Emile Zola ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Names With "Blood on Their Hands" by Richard S. Ehrlich JAKARTA, Indonesia -- Now that foreign troops have landed in East Timor, Western diplomats and others are starting to name names of military officials who allegedly "have blood on their hands." Recent East Timor killings, mostly by anti-independence militias and the military, are the latest in a 23-year legacy of Indonesian rule which has left up to 200,000 East Timorese dead. International investigators, prompted by demands for a war crimes tribunal, are now tracking the most recent bloodstains to determine where they lead in the military hierarchy. One respected Western diplomat, who follows East Timor very closely, told The Laissez Faire City Times, "These are the people who have blood on their hands." He then pushed a button on his embassy's computer and printed a list of five names, all of them powerful military men who shaped East Timor's recent history. The five people on the list have not been charged with any wrongdoing. No hard, direct evidence has publicly appeared to link them to any crime. Any final determination of their alleged involvement in East Timor's slaughter and destruction would require objective proof or other testimony. The list, however, indicated the focus and direction of current inquiries by diplomats and investigators. Diplomats said they are discussing among themselves, and with others, the behavior of various military officers to discover what they knew, when they knew it, and what orders they may have given before, during and after East Timor's August 30 vote for independence. Referring to the post-election bloodshed -- and claims that the military armed, trained and orchestrated the militias to kill East Timorese independence supporters -- the Western diplomat said, "This was planned by the military months and months before." The first name on the diplomat's alphabetized list was Major-General Adam Damiri, based on the island of Bali, which is the military command headquarters for nearby East Timor. The diplomat's dossier described Damiri as "Bali Territorial Commander, military chief responsible for East Timor" and "seen as hardliner on East Timor and possible break in the chain of command." The second name on the list was Major-General Zacky Anwar Makarim, also in the Indonesian military. Makarim's dossier listed him as "former intelligence chief." His dossier added that Makarim was "seen in Dili during militia attacks on April 17, 1999. Appointed as head of military in East Timor shortly afterwards, until his removal in August 1999. Investigated by the United Nations." American officials have also pointed at Makarim. The Hong Kong-based Far Eastern Economic Review magazine reported, "Diplomatic sources say influential (US) Democratic Senator Tom Harkin personally urged President B. J. Habibie to replace Zacky." Independence guerrilla leader Xanana Gusmao -- now in Australia and expected to become East Timor's first president -- said on August 5, "I told Zacky, 'If (independence rebels) FALINTIL is disarmed, who can assure us that after the ballot that you will not try to kill us, to kill the people, and create chaos in East Timor'." Number three on the diplomat's list was Colonel Tono Suratman, an Indonesian military officer listed as "Catholic. Pope's security detail during Indonesia visit. Special Forces. Airborne trained at Fort Benning, Georgia. Infantry. Kopassus. Investigated by the UN for crimes against humanity." Kopassus is Indonesia's Special Forces, and was involved in covert and psychological "psy op" operations throughout Indonesia for many years. During the 1990s, US Special Forces trained Kopassus in counterterrorism, sniper fire, and other elite skills, while human rights groups repeatedly voiced allegations that Kopassus tortured victims. Suratman, meanwhile, also reportedly trained in Australia, and served in a UN peacekeeping mission in Iraq. Number four on the diplomat's list was Major-General Kiki Syahnakri, who has since become head of Indonesia's Restoration Operation Command in East Timor. Ironically, he greeted UN-mandated Commander of the International Force for East Timor, Major-General Peter Cosgrove, when the first peacekeepers arrived at Dili airport. Syahnakri is currently working alongside Cosgrove in East Timor. Syahnakri's dossier said he was "suggested as being behind the militia activities, along with Zacky Anwar." Syahnakri was also described in the dossier as a member of the military's dreaded Kopassus Special Forces active in East Timor and "fluent in the local language Tetun. Spent 11 years in the province in various posts, most recently as chief to the East Timor military commander from 1994 to 1995." Asked about his personal opinion of Syahnakri's alleged guilt in the September violence, the Western diplomat looked up from his list and nodded, "Absolutely. It would be pretty easy to make a case for him being actively involved." Last on the list was Major-General Sjafrie Syamsuddin, whose dossier read, "Jakarta's military commander. Reappointed to Dili during consultation. Linked to human rights abuses by UNHCR Mary Robinson. Rumored as possible scape-goat for Wiranto in September 1999." That rumor referred to Defense Minister and Chief of the Armed Forces, General Wiranto, who claimed "rogue elements" in the military did not follow his orders to end the killings. Wiranto never publicly identified anyone by name. Wiranto's Role Asked about Wiranto's role, the diplomat replied, "Wiranto would be guilty in a court of law simply because he knew what was going on, and that it was wrong." According to the that scenario, if Wiranto knew war crimes were being committed, and did nothing to stop the activity, then perhaps a case could be made that he may have been indirectly guilty as an accessory to a crime, the diplomat said. There is no public evidence, however, that Wiranto knew of any illegal acts. "There are debates if he could have stopped it. He might not have been capable of stopping it. But that doesn't mean he's innocent. "Whether he is evil or not, we'll probably never know. But he's not in control, and that makes him a dangerous man." The Western envoy was confident the truth would eventually come out about what role the other five men, and others, may have played in East Timor's woes. "We have enough evidence in terms of intercepted cables," the diplomat said. "The UN has been on the ground and (foreign) military people, who have been monitoring things, have been there for months," he added, declining to elaborate. Some militia men -- who may know too much about who ordered what -- now fear their former allies in the military will try to silence them, the diplomat said. "As far as the military killing militia men, I do believe there are militia men who are afraid." No such killings, or internal purges of militia ranks, have been reported. The envoy was more concerned that US-trained snipers might execute foreign troops in isolated assaults in East Timor. "There'll be Special Ops guys, Kopassus guys, dressed up as militia, or not, who'll snipe at them," the diplomat predicted. Anti-independence militias, meanwhile, will stage hit-and-run attacks from Indonesia's West Timor, across the porous border, into East Timor, he warned. "This could go on for years and years." Habibie: "a Tragic-Comic Figure" President Bacharuddin J. Habibie emerged relatively unscathed in terms of any direct responsibility for East Timor's post-election death and destruction, the diplomat said. Habibie initially arranged for the vote, apparently believing his government's propaganda that East Timor would reject independence and remain part of Indonesia. Habibie was unable to stop the violence because he was sidelined by military officers, the envoy said. "He's sort of a tragic-comic figure. He doesn't know what's going on." Foreign Minister Ali Alatas also may be far enough removed, he added. "The man spent his career saying nothing was going on in East Timor. Maybe he believes it." Diplomatic forensic work, to piece together who may be guilty for the deaths in East Timor, is somewhat hampered by Indonesian intelligence agents allegedly tapping telephones of embassies and individuals in Jakarta, he said. "We know that our phone lines are bugged. They tap all the cell phone conversations of East Timor-related diplomats, journalists and experts. "They have reams and reams of this stuff, listening to stuff about Xanana Gusmao and others." ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Richard S. Ehrlich has a Master's Degree in Journalism from Columbia University, and is the co-author of the classic book of epistolary history, "HELLO MY BIG BIG HONEY!"--Love Letters to Bangkok Bar Girls and Their Revealing Interviews. His web page is located at http://members.tripod.com/ehrlich, and he may be reached by email at [EMAIL PROTECTED] from The Laissez Faire City Times, Vol 3, No 38, September 27, 1999 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Published by Laissez Faire City Netcasting Group, Inc. Copyright 1998 - Trademark Registered with LFC Public Registrar All Rights Reserved ----- Aloha, He'Ping, Om, Shalom, Salaam. Em Hotep, Peace Be, Omnia Bona Bonis, All My Relations. 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