Joint letter to Indonesian President

International Federation for East Timor, 04 April 2005

Dr. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
President
Republic of Indonesia
Via Facsimile: +62 21 3452685/ 5268726/ 3457782

Indonesia's President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono

Photo: KPU

It was with great dismay that we received news that your government has not yet issued visas to Justice Prafullachandra Bhagwati of India, Professor Yozo Yokota of Japan, and Ms. Shaista Shameem of Fiji. These three eminent persons comprise the members of the Commission of Experts appointed by the United Nations Secretary-General to review the justice processes in Indonesia and East Timor.

With Indonesia currently chairing the United Nations Human Rights Commission, this is an ideal time for your country to take the lead in promoting and protecting human rights in Southeast Asia. It is inexplicable that, instead of demonstrating a clear commitment to human rights on the world stage, the government is instead expressing less than full cooperation regarding the Secretary-General’s own distinguished representatives.

We urge you to grant the three commissioners their visas and extend them full cooperation, including: (a) freedom of movement throughout Indonesia; (b) free access to all relevant documents, including those in possession of investigative, prosecutorial, and judicial institutions; (c) freedom to meet and interview all persons in possession of information considered necessary by the Commission; and (d) appropriate security arrangements that do not restrict the Commission’s freedom of movement, as is required under the Commission’s terms of reference set out by the Secretary-General.

John M. Miller, Coordinator Kenneth Roth, Executive Director
East Timor Action Network Human Rights Watch

Juan E. Mendez , President Charles Scheiner, Secretariat
International Center for Transitional Justice International Federation for East Timor

Nina Bang-Jensen, Executive Director James A. Goldston, Executive Director
Coalition for International Justice Open Society Justice Initiative

Cc: H.E. Mr. Rezlan Ishar Jenie, Permanent Representative to the United Nations; Dr. Makarim Wibisono, Chair of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights; Dr. N. Hassan Wirajuda, Minister of Foreign Affairs

Watch Indonesia! is a member of the International Federation for East Timor (IFET)

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