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East Timorese Militia Leader Undergoes Trial in Jakarta
The trial of East Timorese Militia leader Eurico Guterres opened under heavy security at the North Jakarta district court Tuesday.
Guterres was charged with ordering his men to take back weapons surrendered by pro-integration fighters to the police in September last year.
Disarming the fighter was part of Jakarta's response to the United Nations Security Council's Resolution 1319 on disarming and disbanding East Timorese pro-integration fighters, after East Timorese militiamen and refugees killed three U.N. workers in Atambua of Indonesia's East Nusa Tenggara province in early September last year.
Opening the trial, head judge Suwardi read a letter issued by the justice and human rights affairs minister on November 8 last year, saying Guterres's trial was moved from Atambua to the North Jakarta district court due to security reasons as well as the " impossible condition" in Atambua.
Prosecutor Hamka Minhadj then proceeded with the reading of the indictment, which Guterres' lawyer Suhardi Sumomulyono objected to and requested to be postponed.
The judge, however, rejected Sumomulyono's request, saying his objection will be considered as an input when the court invites the 10 witnesses.
Hamka accused Guterres of misusing his power or influence by having, bringing, storing and hiding weapons and ammunitions.
Wearing a military shirt and a yellow cap, Guterres responded to the prosecutor's charge by saying he understood only part of the indictment.
The proceeding was twice interrupted by cheers of Guterres supporters.
The next hearing will be held next week.
East Timor was Indonesia's 27th province from July 1976 to October 1999 before its people overwhelmingly voted for independence in a United Nations-sponsored ballot.
Some 250,000 East Timorese had to flee the territory to East Nusa Tenggara after the post-ballot rampage, allegedly committed by pro-integration militia fighters.
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