The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mary Robinson, has called for an international tribunal for East Timor, similar to the war crimes courts established for Yugoslavia and Rwanda. Speaking on Dutch television, Mrs Robinson said that the violence that gripped East Timor following the pro-independence vote was a vicious systematic campaign against a vulnerable population.
The East Timorese leader, Xanana Gusmao has extended the hand of friendship to Indonesia and said independent East Timor would welcome investment and guarantee legitimate property rights. Speaking following separate meetings in New York with the UN Secretary General and the Indonesian Foreign Minister, Mr. Gusmao called on the Indonesian government to transfer authority over East Timor to the United Nations without waiting for parliament to ratify the territory's August 30 vote for independence. He also rejected criticism of Kofi Annan for holding the vote which led to widespread destruction by anti-independence militias. Mr Gusmao said the East Timorese people fought for 23 years for the opportunity to exercise the right to self-determination.
United Nations officials say their latest reconnaissance flights over East Timor show massive destruction inflicted by militias in the west of the territory. A UN spokesman said it was estimated that more than £77 million worth of aid would be needed over the next six months to help the East Timorese recover from the devastation they had suffered. Earlier troops from the multi-national peacekeeping force raided a militia stronghold east of the capital Dili, and detained 15 armed men who they suspected of being militia members. Helicopters ferried the troops to the town of Com, near where nine civilians and five Catholic clergy are reported to have been killed by Indonesian soldiers.
Earlier, Amnesty International expressed concern that an investigation by the UN into atrocities in East Timor may have been compromised by key concessions to Indonesia. The UN Human Rights Commission voted yesterday to establish a special team to carry out an inquiry in co-operation with the Indonesian national human rights commission. Amnesty said that there was a risk that the Indonesian authorities would seek to block the investigation, intimidate witnesses and destroy evidence. Indonesia and a number of Asian countries refused to support the setting up of the Human Rights Commission's investigation.
