Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06JAKARTA10998
2006-09-05 10:47:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Jakarta
Cable title:  

TIMIKA TRIAL STOPPED FOR LACK OF INTERPRETER

Tags:  PREL PGOV ASEC CASC KJUS ID 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO1027
OO RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHJA #0998 2481047
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 051047Z SEP 06
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9574
INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS IMMEDIATE
RUEHPB/AMEMBASSY PORT MORESBY IMMEDIATE 3212
RUCNFB/FBI WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RHHMUNA/USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI IMMEDIATE
RUEAWJB/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC IMMEDIATE
UNCLAS JAKARTA 010998 

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

FBI PLS PASS TO CTD/ITOS I, CTD/ITOS II, GOU
SECSTATE FOR EAP/MTS AND DS/DSS, DS/IP/EAP, DS/EAP/ITA, AND
CA/OCS/ACS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV ASEC CASC KJUS ID
SUBJECT: TIMIKA TRIAL STOPPED FOR LACK OF INTERPRETER

REF: A. JAKARTA 10704 WITNESS TESTIMONY IN TIMIKA TRIAL

TO BEGIN

B. JAKARTA 10297 TIMIKA TRIAL SESSIONS PROCEED
WITHOUT DEFENDANTS

C. JAKARTA 8958 TIMIKA TRIAL OPENS

UNCLAS JAKARTA 010998

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

FBI PLS PASS TO CTD/ITOS I, CTD/ITOS II, GOU
SECSTATE FOR EAP/MTS AND DS/DSS, DS/IP/EAP, DS/EAP/ITA, AND
CA/OCS/ACS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV ASEC CASC KJUS ID
SUBJECT: TIMIKA TRIAL STOPPED FOR LACK OF INTERPRETER

REF: A. JAKARTA 10704 WITNESS TESTIMONY IN TIMIKA TRIAL

TO BEGIN

B. JAKARTA 10297 TIMIKA TRIAL SESSIONS PROCEED
WITHOUT DEFENDANTS

C. JAKARTA 8958 TIMIKA TRIAL OPENS


1. (U) The trial of the seven men accused of killing two
Amcits in Timika, Papua in 2002 took another turn on
September 5 when Judge Nurdin ruled that the defendants were
entitled to an interpreter. In a courtroom crowded with
spectators and police, defense lawyers interrupted the
testimony of the first witness called in the case, Amcit
Patsy Spier, to request that the court provide an interpreter
to translate the proceedings from Bahasa Indonesia into the
defendants' native language of Amungme. Ms. Spier had been
speaking for 10-15 minutes when the interruption occurred.
An interpreter supplied by the Department of Foreign Affairs
translated her testimony into Bahasa Indonesia. Prosecutors
objected to the request, stating that the defendants had
responded to questions from police during interrogation
without interpreters being present and that they had never
requested one during previous sessions. While Judge Nurdin
expressed her irritation at the behavior of the defense team,
she approved the request and ordered the trial be suspended
until September 8 to give the prosecutors time to locate a
suitable interpreter. Two other victims, Amcits Steven Emma
and Kenneth Balk, were scheduled to testify immediately after
Ms. Spier.


2. (U) As the session opened the defendants took their proper
seats in the docket, something they had refused to do for the
past several weeks. However, the defense attorneys arrived
late for the session and changed into their robes in the
courtroom, demonstrating their intention to continue to do
whatever it takes to delay the proceedings. There was a
strong police presence and tighter than normal security
measures in place.


3. (SBU) Under Indonesian law, the Court is required to
provide an interpreter if there is a need for one in a
particular case. In practice, however, Embassy contacts say
that judges always ask prosecutors to supply the interpreter,
and efforts are underway to locate one. Although the judge
ruled in favor of the defense, our contacts say it is
possible for the judge to decide differently at the next
session if an interpreter is still not available.
PASCOE