Governor jailed for East Timor violence

The judges found Soares (R) guilty of failing to stop a massive wave of violence that swept across East Timor in 1999

JAKARTA, Indonesia (CNN) -- Former East Timor governor, Jose Osorio Abilio Soares, has been found guilty of crimes against humanity and sentenced to three years in jail -- the first verdict against an Indonesian official for the violence that swept Timor in 1999.

The sentence was far lighter than the ten-year term requested by prosecutors, but his conviction is expected to be well received by international observers.

Soares was found guilty of failing to stop a massive wave of violence that swept across East Timor almost three years ago, in which government officials under his responsibility were actively involved.

Immediately after the verdict, Soares told reporters that he rejected the verdict, saying he could not have prevented the violence, and vowed to appeal.

"How could I, one unarmed man, have stopped a crowd of thousands armed with sharp weapons," Soares told reporters. "They are making me a scapegoat."

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East Timor voted overwhelmingly to break away from Indonesia in a U.N.-sponsored referendum held on August 31, 1999.

Prior to the vote, pro-Indonesian militia groups unleashed a campaign of violence.

Violent backlash

The result sparked an even more violent backlash as the militias embarked on a "scorched earth" campaign that razed approximately 80 percent of East Timor's infrastructure, killed hundreds and forced hundreds of thousands into refugee camps.

The violence was only brought to a halt by the arrival of an Australian-led intervention force.

International observers have been closely watching the ongoing Timor tribunals.

Indonesia has been threatened with an international rights tribunal if its courts failed to meet expectations of the international community.

The Democratic Republic of East Timor was officially established in May, after the United Nations administered the tiny, half-island region following the 1999 violence.

Portugal abandoned its 400-year presence in East Timor in 1974. This was followed by an invasion and occupation by Indonesia.

In addition to Soares, several mid-ranking Indonesian military officers are also on trial. Those verdicts are not expected for several more weeks.

-- CNN Correspondent Atika Shubert contributed to this report