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Jakarta court overturns militia chief's sentence

The Indonesian Supreme Court overturned the conviction of a notorious militia leader accused in attacks that left around 1,000 people dead during East Timor’s 1999 break for independence.

The acquittal will likely anger human-rights groups and add weight to calls for the establishment of an international tribunal to try those responsible for the violence.

With Eurico Guterres’ upcoming release, announced late on Friday, all 18 suspects originally indicted will have been set free.

Vengeful Indonesian soldiers and their militia proxies carried out the violence after East Timor voted in a UN-sponsored referendum to break free from 24 years of often-brutal Jakarta rule.

Responding to international pressure, Indonesia in 2000 indicted Guterres and 17 other suspects, mostly military and police officers. All were either found not guilty or have since been freed on appeal.

Guterres was sentenced to 10 years in prison in 2002 on charges of failing to stop men under his command from attacking independence supporters.

Supreme Court judge Djoko Sarwoko said the verdict was overturned because Guterres’ militia was formed by command of the then-governor of East Timor, who himself was freed on appeal in 2004. The judge gave no more details.

Guterres is expected to be released within days.

To head off calls for the establishment of an international rights tribunal, Indonesia and East Timor formed a joint truth commission in 2005 to investigate the violence. It is due to present its findings later this year.
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