UNITED NATIONS EXPERTS CALL ON INDONESIA TO ENSURE PROTECTION OF RIGHTS OF EAST TIMORESE

HR/99/85
8 September 1999



United Nations experts on arbitrary detention, internally displaced persons, extrajudicial killings and torture today called on the Indonesian Government to ensure that the rights to life and to physical and mental integrity of the East Timorese people be protected.

The experts -- the Chairman-Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights' Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, Kapil Sibal; the Representative of the Secretary-General on Internally Displaced Persons, Francis Deng; the Commission's Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, Asma Jahangir; and the Commission's Special Rapporteur on Torture, Sir Nigel Rodley -- cited reports of attacks by regular and irregular armed elements resulting in the killing of over 100 people. The four said they had also received information alleging widespread torture, thousands of enforced disappearances and the forced displacement of some 200,000 individuals.

With respect to all of the violations being reported, the experts continued, it is alleged that there is collusion between elements of the security forces and militias. They requested official information on steps taken to ensure that the right not to be arbitrarily displaced, the right to physical and mental integrity, and the right to life of the East Timorese people are protected.