A LETTER TO MARY ROBINSON

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Human Rights International
Canada: 11282-159 B Street, Surrey, BC. V4N IR6
Phone: 604-951-9687, Fax : 604-951-9001
USA: P.O. Box 28296, CA 93729-8296
Phone: 559-433-9998, Fax : 559-433-9823
www.humanrightsinternational.org HRI@humanrightsinternational.org

January 06, 2000

Ms. Mary Robinson
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
Palais des Nations, 8-14 Avenue de la Paix
CH 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland

Dear Ms. Robinson:

Since May of 1998 our organization has been deeply disturbed by the terrible atrocities that have been committed by Indonesian extremists, with the support and acquiescence of the military, against the Chinese ethnic minority, against Christians, against citizens in Aceh, Irian, Maluku, Ambon and of course East Timor. Now, with a newly elected government in power, there is the possibility of changing this pattern. However, it can only happen if those responsible for the violence are brought to justice. Indonesia has a long history of such violence against minority peoples, but no one has ever been held responsible, so each time there is a crisis the violence continues and goes unpunished.

Now there is a precedence for setting up an international tribunal under the auspices of the United Nations, as is being done in the case of Rwanda and Yugoslavia. This must be done in Indonesia as well, as soon as possible, or the history of outrageous violence and atrocities will go on forever.

When President Wahid was in the United States recently we were able to have an audience with him, and he agreed that these injustices against minority people must stop and that the perpetrators should be made to pay for their crimes. However, just a week ago he rejected the setting up of a United Nations sponsored international tribunal for Indonesia and said that Indonesia can conduct its own tribunal and punish those responsible.

Everyone knows that is completely impossible. In the first place there is no proper court system or legal procedure in Indonesia, and what exists is totally corrupt. Secondly the very people who are most responsible for the outrages that were perpetrated and that are still going on at this time in Aceh and Maluku and other places, are still in high positions in the Indonesian government and military.

Therefore it is essential that for any kind of real justice to take place the United Nations must set up an international tribunal to ferret out the perpetrators and see that they are held responsible. Now, with a newly elected government in place there is a window of opportunity for a break with the old system. But that can only happen if those who have committed the atrocities see that the world will no longer allow such behavior to go unpunished. We therefore call on you to bring the machinery of the United Nations to bear in this instance, and we hope for a speedy resolve of this terrible situation because the violence is going on still, as I write this letter.

Very truly yours,
Dr. Francis Kiem
President of Human Rights International

Rebecca Shen
Vice President of Human Rights International

Enclosed : copy of letter to Secretary General of United Nations and the news