NETHERLANDS: Indonesian president postpones Netherlands trip after separatist group tries to take him to court there for human rights violations

Record ID: 785108

  • Title: NETHERLANDS: Indonesian president postpones Netherlands trip after separatist group tries to take him to court there for human rights violations
  • Date: 6th October 2010
  • Summary: THE HAGUE, THE NETHERLANDS (FILE 2010) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF PALACE OF JUSTICE, DUTCH COURTHOUSE IN THE HAGUE PEOPLE WALKING INTO THE COURTHOUSE SIGN FOR "PALACE OF JUSTICE" AND A WOMAN WALKING BY AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS (OCTOBER 5, 2010) (REUTERS) PRESIDENT OF SELF PROCLAIMED SOUTH MOLUCCAN REPUBLIC JOHN WATTILETE WALKING (SOUNDBITE) (English), JOHN WATTILETE, PRESIDENT OF SELF-PROCLAIMED SOUTH-MOLUCCAN REPUBLIC, TALKING ABOUT CHARGES AGAINST INDONESIAN PRESIDENT: "The charges are that he made crimes against humanity, he treated a lot of people who are in the prison now, so that is the main point we want to bring to the court." (REPORTER'S QUESTION: What do you expect from the Dutch court?) "We expect the best thing, we think the judge has to consider all the conditions of this case and then we have to wait what will be the decision at the end. Thank you." WATTILETE ENTERING THE CAR CAR DRIVING AWAY
  • Embargoed: 21st October 2010 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Netherlands
  • Country: Netherlands
  • Topics: Legal System,International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVA9QXWGQRQVHQQTS6BO29N5736P
  • Story Text: Activists associated with the Republic of South Moluccas movement asked a Dutch court on Tuesday (October 5) for an injunction to have the president of Indonesia, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono arrested for alleged human rights violations in Indonesia.
    Yudhoyono was scheduled to arrive in the Netherlands on Wednesday for a three-day state visit. He was at the airport in Jakarta preparing to leave when he suddenly called a news conference to announce the visit was off.
    Indigenous groups in the southern Moluccas, particularly on Ambon island, have long agitated for the creation of an independent Republic of the Southern Moluccas (RMS).
    Some were jailed in the past couple of years for performing a war dance associated with the movement. Indonesian police were recently accused of torturing several activists associated with the movement who were arrested after they were found with banned flags and books.
    Dutch-based Moluccan separatist leader, the president of the self-proclaimed Mollucan Republic, John Wattilete, accuses Indonesia's authorities of having wrongful arrests and crimes against humanity.
    "The charges are that he made crimes against humanity, he treated a lot of people who are in the prison now, so that is the main point we want to bring to the court."
    Asked what he expected from the courts he said: "We expect the best thing, we think the judge has to consider all the conditions of this case and then we have to wait what will be the decision at the end," said Wattilete.
    The Dutch Justice Ministry says legal immunity rules would prevent the president's prosecution but the Moluccan group had also requested the court to lift that ban. The court will rule on Wednesday at 0700 GMT.
    Yudhoyono's spokesman, Julian Pasha, said three Dutch citizens had filed the request to the court, and that the president was concerned the court proceedings could be speeded up to coincide with his visit this week.
    Although the Dutch government had granted the president full diplomatic immunity, a decision on the case during his visit could be "unpleasant for the honour of the president and this nation".
    Andre de Hoogh, senior lecturer international law at Groningen University, said he did not expect Dutch-Indonesian relations to suffer from the president's postponement.
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