Indonesian commander invited to testify at inquest
An Australian coroner investigating the killing of a British journalist during Indonesia’s 1975 invasion of East Timor invited a former military commander to testify about the circumstances of his death.
British-born Brian Peters was among five Australia-based journalists who were killed during an attack by Indonesian special forces on the town of Balibo on October 16, 1975.
The Indonesian government says the reporters were accidentally killed in crossfire, but Peters’ family insists he was murdered by Indonesian forces led by former commander Yunus Yosfiah.
Today, Dorelle Pinch, the deputy state coroner investigating the cause of Peters’ death took what she described as the “unusual” step of reading out an open letter to Yosfiah inviting him to testify before the inquiry.
“In the course of the inquest I have heard evidence that you are one of the commanders of the Indonesian forces that attacked Balibo on October 16, 1975,” Pinch said.
