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.

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.

The United Nations Security Council should endorse a U.N. commission’s recommendations for addressing Indonesia’s failure to ensure justice for crimes against humanity in East Timor, Human Rights Watch said today.

A law regulating demonstrations and assemblies passed by East Timor’s parliament violates basic rights to free expression and assembly, Human Rights Watch said today.

East Timor's Parliament should exclude serious human rights crimes from a general amnesty law now under consideration, Human Rights Watch said today. The law could undermine the work of Timorese and international bodies investigating and prosecuting the grave abuses that took place in East Timor during the country's 1999 referendum on independence from Indonesia.