Posted 11 January 2006 @ 07:16
JAKARTA, 11 January 2006 - Indonesia accused East Timor police Monday of using excessive force after three men were killed for illegally crossing the border. East Timor responded by saying the victims were suspected Indonesian militiamen, shot dead after trying to seize weapons from the border patrol.
The dispute highlighted lingering tensions between the neighboring countries six years after East Timor voted to break from Indonesia, ending 24 years of iron-fisted rule.
Indonesian Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda said he "sent a strong protest to East Timor" over the incident, which occurred late Friday along the Malibaca River. Indonesia called on East Timor to investigate.
He said the East Timor border patrol fired at five Indonesians for trespassing, even though the men raised their arms above their heads in a sign of surrender. Three were killed and the other two managed to flee, he said, accusing the East Timor police of "excessive use of force." East Timor Foreign Minister Jose Ramos-Horta said he regretted the incident and would welcome a joint investigation. But he noted that the suspected militiamen entered East Timor illegally and attacked its police.
One of the men identified as José Mau Sorte, Ramos-Horta said, was wanted for crimes against humanity. He did not elaborate, but U.N.-backed courts in East Timor have indicted dozens of former pro-Indonesian militiamen over the bloodshed that took place during the 1999 independence vote
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