Cross-Country Ties an Obstacle to East Timor Justice

DILI — East Timor’s leaders say bringing to justice perpetrators of atrocities committed during the Indonesian army’s occupation would sour relations between the neighbouring countries, but not everyone is so keen to forgive and move on.

Despite high-level stubbornness, justice can still be achieved so long as people continue to make their voices heard, observers said.

A local woman from East Timor mourns for her relatives during the 10th commemoration for pro-Independence activists that were killed in 1999's vote for independence in Dili, East Timor. (Photo: Reuters)

"Speaking about justice is part of achieving justice, just as speaking about independence was part of achieving independence" Dr Clinton Fernandes, an East Timor expert from the Australian Defence Force Academy, told IPS.

"Citizens—like the UN—do not have their own military or police forces but can create the political will to achieve justice simply by always speaking about it," he added.

For years, the people of East Timor and international supporters have pushed for closure on the crimes against humanity committed during the Indonesian military occupation between 1975 and 1999.

East Timor became independent in 2002, but at a cost of 180,000 lives, either killed in the violence or else left to die of starvation or sickness.

The nation’s leadership is sticking to the line that if riled, Indonesia might close the border with West Timor, lock down trade ties or reconsider the futures of the 6,000 or so Timorese students studying in Indonesia.

In August, Amnesty International released the report ‘We Cry for Justice’, in which one of the recommendations was for the UN Security Council to set up a comprehensive plan to end impunity.

The report has now been translated into Tetum (one of East Timor’s official languages) and Bahasa Indonesia in the hope that people in East Timor and Indonesia will be able to see that their voices are being heard.

"Every voice counts to see change on the ground, including media coverage on justice issues," said Isabelle Arradon, researcher on Indonesia and East Timor for Amnesty International.

"Continuous coverage in the lead-up to discussions on [East Timor] at the UN Security Council in February 2010 is welcomed to show that the international community supports the calls of the victims on the ground, and to remind UN Security Council members that the view of the [East Timor] government is not shared by many in the country," she added.

The firm stance of the nation’s leaders has been criticised by the UN, which maintains that strong ties with Indonesia should not impede the need for justice.

"To ask for accountability of the individuals who did really horrible things in no way undermines that [relationship]—it only strengthens it," said Louis Gentile, representative of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

With the recent passing of yet another East Timor massacre anniversary, there is disillusionment on the streets of Dili.

Julio Barreto, 36, was there at Santa Cruz in Dili on Nov. 12, 1991, when Indonesian troops sprayed bullets into crowds of peaceful protesters, killing 270 of them. "We didn’t realize the troops were preparing to shoot at us," he said. "I don’t like them—the people who did this—they are well known as human rights violators, and everyone knows what they have been involved in."

Like many in East Timor, Barreto feels let down by his country’s heads of state for the lack of accountability for the Santa Cruz Massacre and other crimes against humanity.

"Instead of stressing out and thinking of those things that might never happen, I prefer to concentrate on work instead of thinking too much about bringing those people to justice, because it would take the leaders to do it, not the ordinary people like us."

The issue of justice has been a sensitive one for previous governments, but perhaps none has been scrutinised as much as Xanana Gusmao’s current ruling coalition, most notably in recent weeks when the release of an Indonesian former militia leader sparked an international media frenzy.

Maternus Bere, former commander of the pro-Indonesia Laksaur militia, was indicted by the U.N.