Indonesia military sets out defence on Timor Fri, 4 Feb 2000 08:40:31 -0500 Via NY Transfer News * All the News That Doesn't Fit source - Joyo@aol.com Indonesia military sets out defence on Timor By Tomi Soetjipto JAKARTA, Jan 28 (Reuters) - Indonesia's military on Friday set out its defence against claims it was involved in the wave of murder and destruction that ravaged East Timor last year, saying it played no systematic part in the violence. In a report drafted by its own inquiry into the violence, the military (TNI) said there was no evidence to support claims it organised and encouraged the unrest, although it conceded individual members of the security forces may have played a part. The move comes ahead of next Monday's unveiling of a report by the official Indonesian inquiry on the East Timor violence. The inquiry, run by the country's independent human rights commission, is expected to name several military officials it accuses of involvement. President Abdurrahman Wahid said earlier this month that powerful General Wiranto, former armed forces chief and now coordinating minister for political and security affairs, would be asked to resign his cabinet post if found guilty of backing human rights abuses in East Timor. Jakarta has been awash with rumours that the relationship between Wahid and Wiranto has deteriorated and that the disgruntled military may even have considered staging a coup in response to the probe into its activities in East Timor. MILITARY ADMITS INDIVIDUAL EXCESSES The military conceded that some of its members had played a part in the destruction in East Timor. ``Several over-emotional members of the security forces set fire to hostels, offices, houses and vehicles before leaving East Timor,'' the report said. It also said that members of security forces attacked vehicles owned by the U.N. mission in East Timor, and a number of Indonesian police were caught trying to rob a bank. But it denied the military coordinated the destruction. ``Houses and shops in Dili and other towns were burned down by unknown people without any authorisation from the security forces,'' it said. The report also put the death toll from the violence at 79, despite the fact that U.N. investigators have discovered more than 230 bodies in the territory. It said media reports of army-backed genocide in the territory were aimed at discrediting Indonesia and its military. ``Press reports that the violence following the referendum led to the deaths of tens of thousands in East Timor are erroneous, systematic and politically motivated and designed to discredit TNI and the Republic of Indonesia as a whole.'' At a news conference, the military said 13 soldiers would be put on trial for their part in the East Timor violence. But it did not give any timeframe for the legal action. ``Some of them were commanders of military districts in East Timor,'' said Rear Admiral Yoost Mengko, a member of the military's inquiry team. East Timor was ravaged by a wave of killings and destruction in the aftermath of its August vote for independence from Indonesia. The U.N., human rights groups and independent observers have said there is clear evidence the military was involved in the violence, along with pro-Jakarta militias. ================================================================= NY Transfer News Collective * A Service of Blythe Systems Since 1985 - Information for the Rest of Us 339 Lafayette St., New York, NY 10012 http://www.blythe.org e-mail: nyt@blythe.org ================================================================= nytpac-02.04.00-08:40:29-2953