Last week, Kofi Annan took the unprecedented step of bypassing the UN Security Council and releasing the UN's report on war crimes in East Timor. The report slated Indonesia's efforts to prosecute those responsible for war crimes in 1999 and reccommended strongly that Indonesia review its cases and bring in international experts to supervise and assist with the process. If these steps were not taken within six months, it urged the Security Council to create an ad-hoc criminal tribunal as it had done for Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia.
The two government's response has been to create a "Truth and Friendship Commission" to investigate the atrocities. However, it will have no power to compel testimony, or to bring prosecutions. According to the Indonesians, its aim is "reveal the truth, and promote reconciliation only". A whitewash, in other words.
Why is East Timor going along with this? Because it is too frightened of upsetting ties with its giant neighbour to demand justice. This is a clear case where the international community should step into defend the powerless and stand up for justice. If Indonesia will not prosecute those who committed war crimes in Timor, then the international community should do it for them.
2 comments:
I concur wholeheartedly.
Posted by Anonymous : 8/02/2005 03:25:00 PM
Generally I agree but as a pragmatist - sometimes you cause too much damage trying to do the right thing.
An example might be if some country decided to try to punish those that forced women to wear veils in saudi arabia or if someone decided to liberate tibet and punish those who supported the occupation.
It may be enough to solve the problem as well as is possible now and in the future and not worry about revenge for actions in the past.
I guess East Timor agrees
Posted by Genius : 8/02/2005 10:41:00 PM
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