Justice appeal for East Timor

CAFOD and other aid agencies an are demanding the establishment of an international criminal tribunal for East Timor, after governor Abilio Soares was jailed for only three years for crimes against humanity. Cafod's East Timor programme officer, Clare Danby said: "The proceedings in all the current Jakarta trials have been a travesty of justice aimed at protecting senior Indonesian army officers and covering up the truth of what happened in East Timor." was The verdict w the first in a series of trials of 18 military and police officers, civilian ffi ocials and militia members accused of involvement in crimes against humanity in East Timor. Ms Danby added: "Those charged are only expendable scapegoats. They may bear some responsibility for the appalling violence, but the military masterminds who planned and orchestrated the campaign of brutality are enjoying immunity from prosecution, courtesy of the Indonesian authorities." The British agencies said it will be a tragedy if the international community not only accepted the trials, but rewarded Indonesia by selling it more arms.