UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
United Nations
New York, NY 10017
Dear Ban Ki-moon,
War crimes and crimes against humanity committed in East Timor (now Timor-Leste) must not go unpunished. Up to one-third of the pre-invasion East Timorese population was killed during the illegal Indonesian military occupation from 1975 to 1999. I urge you to use all resources at your disposal ensure the timely establishment of an international tribunal to try serious crimes committed during the Indonesian occupation.
I support your decision this summer not to cooperate with the bi-lateral Commission of Truth and Friendship (CTF), unless it is precluded from recommending amnesty. In announcing the decision, you stated that "The United Nations policy… is that the organization cannot endorse or condone amnesties for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes or gross violations of human rights, nor should it do anything that might foster them."
You must now take the next step and work to ensure that the perpetrators of these serious crimes in East Timor are brought to justice. I urge you to support the recommendations of Timor-Leste's much more credible Commission for Reception, Truth and Reconciliation in East Timor (CAVR) and the report of the Secretary-General's Commission of Experts.
I urge you to support the implementation of these recommendations, including establishing an international tribunal for Timor-Leste with a mandate including the entire Indonesian occupation. An international tribunal is the best way to ensure that those most responsible for the most heinous crimes committed in Timor-Leste from 1999 and before are brought to trial. Genuine justice is the best way to support democracy and human rights in both countries.
I hope you will agree. I look forward to your response.
For more information contact the East Timor & Indonesia
Action Network (ETAN), PO Box 21873, Brooklyn, NY 11202-1873;
718/596-7668; www.etan.org [4]
Links:
[1] http://www.peaceworkmagazine.org/forward/978
[2] http://www.peaceworkmagazine.org/print/978
[3] http://www.peaceworkmagazine.org/audio/play/1007
[4] http://www.etan.org
[5] http://www.peaceworkmagazine.org/issue-384-april-2008
[6] http://www.peaceworkmagazine.org/geography/asia/south-eastern-asia/east-timor
[7] http://www.peaceworkmagazine.org/geography/asia/south-eastern-asia/indonesia
[8] http://www.peaceworkmagazine.org/geography/universal
[9] http://www.peaceworkmagazine.org/category/1-wars-and-militarism/1-06-weapons
[10] http://www.peaceworkmagazine.org/category/1-wars-and-militarism/1-08-military-spending
[11] http://www.peaceworkmagazine.org/category/1-wars-and-militarism/1-20-military-occupation
[12] http://www.peaceworkmagazine.org/category/1-wars-and-militarism/1-13-laws-war-war-crimes-crimes-against-humanity
[13] http://www.peaceworkmagazine.org/category/1-wars-and-militarism/1-14-targeting-civilians
[14] http://www.peaceworkmagazine.org/category/1-wars-and-militarism/1-15-genocide
[15] http://www.peaceworkmagazine.org/category/1-wars-and-militarism/1-17-government-secrecy
[16] http://www.peaceworkmagazine.org/category/2-resistance-militaries-and-resistance-militarism/2-07-legislative-efforts-against-militari
[17] http://www.peaceworkmagazine.org/category/2-resistance-militaries-and-resistance-militarism/2-09-judicial-efforts-against-militarism
[18] http://www.peaceworkmagazine.org/category/4-nonviolent-action/4-01-nonviolent-protest-and-persuasion/4-01-02-petitions
[19] http://www.peaceworkmagazine.org/category/4-nonviolent-action/4-04-political-non-cooperation/4-04-01-calls-resistance
[20] http://www.peaceworkmagazine.org/taxonomy/term/28
[21] http://www.peaceworkmagazine.org/taxonomy/term/145
[22] http://www.peaceworkmagazine.org/category/5-countering-oppression-organizing-building-alternatives/5-02-countering-political-repressi
[23] http://www.peaceworkmagazine.org/taxonomy/term/302
[24] http://www.peaceworkmagazine.org/taxonomy/term/305
[25] http://www.afsc.org/store