East Timor high on agenda of Secretary General’s talks.
with Indonesian leaders.
16 February 2000 -- Stressing
that it was “absolutely essential” that the perpetrators of post-referendum
violence in East Timor be brought to justice, Secretary-General Kofi Annan said
today he supported the Indonesian government’s recent steps in that direction.
Following his meetings in Jakarta with President Abdurrahman Wahid and Defence
Minister Juwono Sudarsono, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan told the press that
it was important to send out the message that impunity would not be allowed to
stand, which could also serve as a deterrent for others.
“If the Government puts [the perpetrators] on trial, and justice is done, “Mr.
Annan said, “I do not believe that the Security Council would insist on setting
up an international tribunal. Of course, if that doesn’t happen, the Council
has a right to revert to it.
The Secretary-General also said that Defence Minister Sudarsono had agreed to
work with the UN to ensure that the unruly militia elements who are
intimidating East Timorese refugees in West Timor would be brought under
control. As for those East Timorese who may wish to remain in Indonesia, in
West Timor or elsewhere, they should be free to exercise that choice, Mr. Annan
said.
Regarding the efforts to rebuild East Timor, the Secretary-General said that
the UN system was working as fast as it could to help reconstruct the
territory, and noted the success of a recent fund-raising effort in Japan.
“We did have a good pledging conference for [the East Timorese] in Tokyo,” he
said, “The funds are going to begin to flow now. And there will be
reconstruction and job creation projects.”
