Jump to content

Indonesian election on monday


Guest

Recommended Posts

Just dropped some people at the airport here in NZ two days ago and they had been invited by the indonesian government as onservers. told me that jimmy carter and his wife will be outside observers as well.

Hope its a peaceful election.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There is no reason to believe the 2nd round of elections won't go off well. The others have run smoothly much to the surprise of outside observers considering the complexity. I think there were 450,000 candidates in the lower level national election. there will probably not be a clear presidential winner which means another election to elect electors in a few months. What will be interesting is if Wiranto wins. He is an indicted war crimminal so in theory he could be arrested if he travels abroad.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

He is an indicted war crimminal

-----------------------

you are the indon expert. I just read he had not been hit too hard by the post Suharto trials, for his role in East Timor. Tell us more: when was the indictment, and by who? Is he officially on that list like Karadzic?

Thanks

 

PS: regional sanook??????

Link to comment
Share on other sites

yes this really isn't sanuk, that was just an aside. The indictment was more than a year a go you can google it. The UN, Xanana (PM) and Ramos Horta (FA minister) would not like the indictment to go through (its been filed but not signed) I think that once its signed that effectively puts a warrant in interpols hands.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Got it!:

 

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: SMH editorial: Wiranto's war crimes indictment

Sydney Morning Herald March 6, 2003

 

Editorial

 

Wiranto's war crimes indictment

 

The formal indictment of Indonesia's former armed forces chief, retired General Wiranto, and seven of his senior military officers for war crimes in East Timor is no watershed in the quest for justice in the former Indonesian-controlled territory. Rather, the filing of charges against more than 40 Indonesian officials is a symbolic condemnation of Indonesia's Human Rights Court for its failure so far to identify or punish those responsible for the atrocities of 1999.

 

The indictments were issued last week by the UN-assisted Serious Crimes Unit in East Timor in respect of killings which marked the end of Indonesian rule there. They were not, as first reported, issued by the UN under international war crimes jurisdiction. The charges were laid by East Timor, which is being assisted in the establishment of its national institutions, including the judiciary, by the United Nations. Under international law, sovereign nations must be given the opportunity to deal with such heinous crimes against humanity through their own legal systems, before cases can be referred to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Hague.

 

After the 1999 violence in East Timor, the Indonesian Government managed to deflect international demands for accountability by promising to exact justice. So far, its Human Rights Court has failed to punish a single Indonesian military officer. However, while East Timor has demonstrated the political will to prosecute, it does not have the means. Technically, Interpol may now arrest those indicted. However, there are no extradition treaties in place to deliver them into the dock in Dili. Should a future case be filed in the ICC, on the valid grounds that the Indonesian and East Timorese legal processes have failed, Jakarta is expected to refuse to surrender its nationals to the court.

 

At the weekend, East Timor's President, Xanana Gusmao, said his poor young nation could not afford to divert its energy into such uncertain legal proceedings, nor further strain ties with Jakarta. This is a hard truth, but not one easily accepted. Almost a quarter of East Timor's people died under Indonesian rule, and the desire for justice - and revenge - remains strong.

 

More positively, however, the indictments of Wiranto and others should serve to embarrass the Indonesian Government internationally in a potentially constructive way. The indictments point to a wider issue. It is that the same politicised, corrupt and incompetent Indonesian legal system which is failing the East Timorese is also routinely failing the Indonesian people.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...