Indonesia Must Allow Review of Justice Process

April 4, 2005  
 
Dr. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono  
President  
Republic of Indonesia  
 
Dear President Yudhoyono,  
 
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.  
 
Sincerely,  
 
John M. Miller, Coordinator  
East Timor Action Network  
 
Kenneth Roth, Executive Director  
Human Rights Watch  
 
Juan E. Mendez, President  
International Center for Transitional Justice  
 
Charles Scheiner, Secretariat  
International Federation for East Timor  
 
Nina Bang-Jensen, Executive Director  
Coalition for International Justice  
 
James A. Goldston, Executive Director  
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  

---

Related Material

For More on International Justice in Indonesia and East Timor
Thematic Page

For More on Human Rights in Indonesia
Country Page

---