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Letter to President Yudhoyono on refusal to issue visas to UN appointed commissioners

April 4, 2005

Dr. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
President Republic of Indonesia

Via Facsimile: +62 21 3452685/5268726/3457782

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
 

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