Much of the commentary since Suharto’s death on Jan. 27 has focused on his economic legacy. Of late, triumphalist accounts seem to be eclipsing more nuanced assessments, as observers debate whether overall economic growth during his 32-year tenure overshadowed the nepotism and corruption that marred his rule. Suharto’s political and human rights legacy, wrongly pushed to the sidelines, is at least of equal importance in assessing his record and the challenges facing Indonesia today.

The death of former president Suharto at age 86 provides an opportunity to commemorate the many victims of his oppressive regime, Human Rights Watch said today. Human Rights Watch said the Indonesian government should make a serious commitment to hold accountable the perpetrators of human rights abuses during his rule.

Candidates in Timor-Leste’s presidential election on April 9 should publicly commit to addressing the country’s human rights problems and propose needed institutional reforms, Human Rights Watch said today.

On 28 November 2006, Chega!, the report of the Commission for Reception, Truth and Reconciliation in Timor-Leste (CAVR), was launched in the UK Parliament at an event sponsored by our organisations – Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, TAPOL the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign, and Progressio – in conjunction with the all-party Parliamentary Human Rights Group.

British parliamentarians who campaigned for human rights in Timor-Leste (then East Timor) were today urged to press the UK government for action on key recommendations of a landmark report on violations committed in Timor-Leste.

The East Timorese government needs to urgently address the problem of police torture and ill-treatment of detainees before it becomes widespread, Human Rights Watch said in a new report released today. Independent and internal accountability mechanisms need to be greatly strengthened to stop a slide into impunity for officials who commit abuses.

We are writing to express our concern that the report of the Commission for Reception, Truth and Reconciliation in Timor-Leste (CAVR) has not yet been referred to the United Nations Security Council for discussion. The report, which was presented to you on January 20, 2006 by Timor-Leste’s President Xanana Gusmao, specifically recommends that you refer it to the UN Security Council, the UN General Assembly, the UN Special Committee on Decolonisation, and the UN Commission on Human Rights. The report also requests that each of these bodies devote a special session to discussing and reflecting on the report and the lessons to be learned from its contents and findings. We urge you to follow these recommendations by disseminating this important document to the wider UN community.

Joint letter to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan expressing concern that the report of the independent Commission of Experts appointed to review the prosecution of serious violations of human rights in Timor-Leste in 1999 has not yet been scheduled for discussion by the Security Council.