Balibo case is closed, says Indonesia By Olivia Rondonuwu in Jakarta November 16, 2007 Article from: AAP
INDONESIA says the case of the Balibo Five is closed but an Australian coroner's finding that its soldiers may have committed war crimes won't damage relations between the countries. Deputy NSW Coroner Dorelle Pinch today found Indonesian soldiers deliberately killed five Australian-based journalists in October 1975 to stop them reporting on Indonesia's invasion of East Timor. She said war crimes might have been committed and will refer the matter to Australia's attorney-general. Indonesia has always said the Balibo Five were killed in crossfire in the border town of Balibo during its invasion of East Timor. _______________________________________________________________________
In Jakarta, Indonesian foreign ministry spokesman Kristiarto Legowo said the coroner's finding would do nothing to change its position. "It will not change Indonesia's stance that for us it is a closed case and we are still in the position that they were killed because of crossfire between conflicting sides at the time. "Whatever the coroner's recommendation, it will not change Indonesia's position on that." A spokesman for Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono also said the case was "closed" and but confident the coroner's findings would not damage relations between Canberra and Jakarta. "Our relationship is very strong," Dino Patti Djalal said. "It is endurable to withstand any issue. So I don't think this news will rock our boat. It's a pity what happened to them but we've moved on." However, Indonesian military spokesman Air Vice Marshal Sagom Tamboen suggested relations could be damaged. "I can see that this thing could worsen relations between Indonesia and Australia," he said. He rejected the coroner's findings. "If they concluded that the TNI (the Indonesian military) seemed to arrange it (the deaths), where did they get their sources? "It's a premature conclusion." Air Vice Marshal Tamboen said the report of the coroner, who tried and failed to have key former Indonesian officers give evidence at the inquest, was one-sided. "They never asked us. And the matter is already closed. What is their new evidence?" The military spokesman questioned whether the NSW coroner was able to brand the killings a war crime. "Is that what international conventions say? "Are they a competent body to say that?" The Indonesian embassy in Canberra would not comment today. Ms Pinch said the Balibo Five had been killed on the orders of Indonesian special forces officers including Yunus Yosfiah, later to become a minister for information. Mr Yosfiah refused to comment today. "I've talked about that many many times," he said, before hanging up. Mr Yosfiah, who refused repeated requests to give evidence to the NSW inquest, has denied ordering or taking part in the killings. Source BALIBO FIVE: Murdered to silence the truth
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