UN Secretary-General Urged to Lead for Justice and Accountability for Timor-Leste

A worldwide coalition of human rights and other organizations has written an open letter to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, calling on him to work to achieve substantive justice for the people of Timor-Leste.

Source: East Timor and Indonesia Action Network
UN Secretary-General Urged to Lead for Justice and Accountability for Timor-Leste

A worldwide coalition of human rights and other organizations has written an open letter to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, calling on him to work to achieve substantive justice for the people of Timor-Leste.

Source: East Timor and Indonesia Action Network

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(PRLog.Org) – Dec 13, 2007 – A worldwide coalition of human rights and other organizations has written an open letter to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, calling on him to work to achieve substantive justice for the people of Timor-Leste.

The letter reminds the Secretary-General that the East Timorese people "suffered countless war crimes and crimes against humanity during the Indonesian invasion and 24-year occupation of their homeland." The letter rejects Indonesian government attempts to escape accountability.

The letter is signed by representatives of more than 70 organizations in 14 countries, who call on the Secretary-General to ensure that justice prevails over impunity, including through implementation of the relevant recommendations of East Timor's Reception, Truth and Reconciliation Commission (CAVR).

The letter applauds the Secretary-General's refusal to grant legitimacy to the bilateral Commission for Truth and Friendship (CTF). According to the letter, the CTF and Indonesia's Ad Hoc Human Rights Court "have proven manifestly unsuitable in both design and implementation to the task of delivering justice in accordance with international law." Instead, he should work to create an international tribunal to prosecute those most responsible for the many crimes committed during the 24-year occupation, not just in 1999.

"The Secretary-General should use his visit to launch an effort to achieve genuine justice and accountability for crimes committed in Timor during the Indonesian invasion and occupation,” said John M. Miller, National Coordinator of the East Timor and Indonesia Action Network /U.S., an organizer of the letter. “The Secretary-General should actively work with member states to establish an international tribunal."

The letter observes that most people in Timor-Leste, particularly in the church and civil society, strongly support measures for substantive justice, and insists that the international community share the responsibility to address crimes which violated international criminal law and the UN charter and resolutions.

The letter is timed to coincide with Ban Ki-Moon's visit this week to Timor-Leste, the first time he has visited the country as Secretary-General.

"The aftermath of the recent Security Council delegation to Timor-Leste indicates that the international community may suffering from a form of amnesia when it comes to the many crimes against humanity committed during 24-years of brutal Indonesian occupation in Timor-Leste," said Miller. "Indonesia's membership in both the Security Council and Human Rights Council should stimulate all UN members' resolve to ensure that those responsible do not to unpunished and to ensure that the new, democratic government in Jakarta upholds its international human rights obligations," he added.

Signers include human rights groups from Indonesia, Timor-Leste, elsewhere in Asia, Australia, New Zealand, North America, and Europe. The full text of the letter with a complete list of signers can be found at http://www.etan.org/news/2007/12unsgltr.htm.

(PRLog.Org) – Dec 13, 2007 – A worldwide coalition of human rights and other organizations has written an open letter to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, calling on him to work to achieve substantive justice for the people of Timor-Leste.

The letter reminds the Secretary-General that the East Timorese people "suffered countless war crimes and crimes against humanity during the Indonesian invasion and 24-year occupation of their homeland." The letter rejects Indonesian government attempts to escape accountability.

The letter is signed by representatives of more than 70 organizations in 14 countries, who call on the Secretary-General to ensure that justice prevails over impunity, including through implementation of the relevant recommendations of East Timor's Reception, Truth and Reconciliation Commission (CAVR).

The letter applauds the Secretary-General's refusal to grant legitimacy to the bilateral Commission for Truth and Friendship (CTF). According to the letter, the CTF and Indonesia's Ad Hoc Human Rights Court "have proven manifestly unsuitable in both design and implementation to the task of delivering justice in accordance with international law." Instead, he should work to create an international tribunal to prosecute those most responsible for the many crimes committed during the 24-year occupation, not just in 1999.

"The Secretary-General should use his visit to launch an effort to achieve genuine justice and accountability for crimes committed in Timor during the Indonesian invasion and occupation,” said John M. Miller, National Coordinator of the East Timor and Indonesia Action Network /U.S., an organizer of the letter. “The Secretary-General should actively work with member states to establish an international tribunal."

The letter observes that most people in Timor-Leste, particularly in the church and civil society, strongly support measures for substantive justice, and insists that the international community share the responsibility to address crimes which violated international criminal law and the UN charter and resolutions.

The letter is timed to coincide with Ban Ki-Moon's visit this week to Timor-Leste, the first time he has visited the country as Secretary-General.

"The aftermath of the recent Security Council delegation to Timor-Leste indicates that the international community may suffering from a form of amnesia when it comes to the many crimes against humanity committed during 24-years of brutal Indonesian occupation in Timor-Leste," said Miller. "Indonesia's membership in both the Security Council and Human Rights Council should stimulate all UN members' resolve to ensure that those responsible do not to unpunished and to ensure that the new, democratic government in Jakarta upholds its international human rights obligations," he added.

Signers include human rights groups from Indonesia, Timor-Leste, elsewhere in Asia, Australia, New Zealand, North America, and Europe. The full text of the letter with a complete list of signers can be found at http://www.etan.org/news/2007/12unsgltr.htm.

Tradução:

Apelo ao Secretário-Geral da ONU pela justiça e responsabilização para Timor-Leste

Uma coligação de organizações de direitos humanos e outras à escala mundial escreveu uma carta aberta ao Secretário-Geral da ONU, apelando que trabalhe para alcançar justiça substantiva para o povo de Timor-Leste.

Fonte: East Timor and Indonesia Action Network
Apelo ao Secretário-Geral da ONU que lidere pele Justiça e responsabilização para Timor-Leste

Uma coligação de organizações de direitos humanos e outras à escala mundial escreveu uma carta aberta ao Secretário-Geral da ONU Ban Ki-Moon, apelando para trabalhar para alcançar justiça substantiva para o povo de Timor-Leste.

Fonte: East Timor and Indonesia Action Network

Para emissão imediata

(PRLog.Org) – Dez 13, 2007 – Uma coligação de organizações de direitos humanos e outras à escala mundial escreveu uma carta aberta ao Secretário-Geral da ONU Ban Ki-Moon, apelando para trabalhar para alcançar justiça substantiva para o povo de Timor-Leste.

A carta lembra ao Secretário-Geral que o povo Timorense "sofreu incontáveis crimes de guerra e crimes contra a humanidade durante a invasão Indonésia e os 24 anos de ocupação da sua pátria." A carta rejeita as tentativas do governo Indonésio para escapar à responsabilização.

A carta é assinada por representantes de mais de 70 organizações em 14 países, que apelam ao Secretário-Geral para assegurar que a justiça prevaleça sobre a impunidade, incluindo através da implementação das recomendações relevantes da Comissão de Timor-Leste de Abertura, Verdade e Reconciliação (CAVR).

A carta aplaude a recusa do Secretário-Geral em dar legitimidade à Comissão bilateral para a Verdade e Amizade (CVA). De acordo com esta carta, a CVA e o Tribunal Ad Hoc da Indonésia dos Direitos Humanos "demonstraram ser manifestamente inadequados tanto na forma como na implementação da tarefa de fazer justiça de acordo com a lei internacional." Em vez disso, ele deve trabalhar para criar um tribunal internacional para processar os mais responsáveis pelos muitos crimes cometidos durante a ocupação de 24 anos, não apenas em 1999.

"O Secretário-Geral deve usar a sua visita para lançar um esforço para alcançar a justiça genuína e a responsabilização pelos crimes cometidos em Timor durante a invasão e a ocupação,” disse John M. Miller, Coordenador Nacional da Rede de Acção Timor-Leste e Indonésia Action Network /USA, um organizador da carta. “O Secretário-Geral deve trabalhar activamente com os Estados membros para estabelecer um tribunal internacional."

A carta observa que a maioria das pessoas em Timor-Leste, particularmente na igreja e sociedade civil, apoiam fortemente medidas para justiça, e insiste que a comunidade internacional partilha a responsabilidade de lidar com crimes que violaram a lei criminal internacional e a carta e resoluções da ONU.

A carta foi calendarizada para coincidir com a visita de Ban Ki-Moon esta semana para Timor-Leste, a primeira vez que visitou o país como Secretário-Geral.

"As consequências da recente visita da delegação do Conselho de Segurança a Timor-Leste indica que a comunidade internacional pode sofrer duma forma de amnésia quando se trata dos muitos crimes contra a humanidade cometidos durante os 24 anos da brutal ocupação Indonésia em Timor-Leste," disse Miller. "A pertença da Indonesia em ambos o Conselho de Segurança e ao Conselho dos Direitos Humanos deve estimular a determinação dos membros da ONU para assegurar que os responsáveis não fiquem sem punição e para garantir que o novo governo democrático em Jacarta assuma as suas obrigações internacionais de direitos humanos," acrescentou.

Os subscritores incluem grupos de direitos humanos da Indonésia, Timor-Leste, doutros sítios na Ásia, Austrália, Nova Zelândia, América do Norte e Europa. O texto completo da carta com a lista completa de subscritores pode encontrar-se em http://www.etan.org/news/2007/12unsgltr.htm.