ASIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION
URGENT APPEAL
PROJECT
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UA
19/99: FEAR FOR
SAFETY
19 April 1999
EAST TIMOR: MORE THAN 30 KILLED BY
MILITIAS
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More then 30 people killed in East Timor by militias. The 18-year-old adopted
son of Manuel Carrascalao,(brother of former governor of East
Timor),Manuelito,was killed. On Saturday, at least four truckloads of militia
with guns and a rocket drove around Dili.No action was taken whatsoever by the
military. After a pro-integratio- nist rally had finished outside the Governor's
palace,they went on a rampage burning houses, shooting into the air, and
killing people.
Manuel Carrascalao and his daughter
Chris had gone to met with military commander Colonel Tono Suratman to complain
about the attacks underway by the death squads. Manuel left his house as a
neighbouring house was being attacked,to urge the military commander to take
action to protect those being targeted. He was worried the militias would attack
the family home, where over 170 refugees were taking refuge, mainly women and
children. It's now confirmed that at least 12 people were killed at Manuel's
house including his 18 year old son.
Manuel and his daughter Chris are now
taking refuge at the home of Bishop Belo.
The parents of Xanana Gusmao who
live in Manatuto are being targeted by the ABRI death squads. His sister,
Armandina, who lives in Dili may also be in grave danger. Julio Araujo, the
brother-in-law of Xanana Gusmao, is a target for the militias. Mario Car-
rascalao(President Habibie's Special Adviser on East Timor, in Jakarta), has
"gone to a safe place" following the arrival from Dili of 150 armed
militiamen who have sworn to assassinate him.
18 April 1999
- at
least two people have been killed in the Dili suburbs of Becora. Troops and
militia went from house to house searching out pro-independence families,
butchering them,and looting,wrecking and burning their houses.
BACKGROUND
INFORMATION:
The Indonesian military, police and civilian
administration directly support the violence against East Timorese civilian.
Indonesian military personnel and civilian senior authorities in East Timor,
including the Governor, the Danrem (commander of Police), the Kapolda and Dandin
(miliary command) and the District Bupatis, attended the gathering called by
paramilitary leaders where Eurico Guterres, the leader of the Dili-based
paramilitary known as Ai-tarak (Thorn), declared that: "As from today, I
order all the pro-integration militia to wipe out all the traitors of
integration. Capture them.Kill them.I will take the
responsibility."
Mario Carrascal has accused General
Zaki,the former head of Indonesian intelli- gence in East Timor,as the
organising power behind the militias. General Zaki is challenging President
Habibie for the position of head of state. The Army that already has 17,000
troops in East Timor has brought in many more militias from outside East Timor.
According to our sources, Captain Eusebio Belo, an army officer who now works
with the army intelligence unit, BIA, has been supplied with a large sum of
money to recruit a militia force from among hoodlums from Eastern Indonesia, for
use in East Timor.The armed forces are believed to have supplied a billion
rupiahs to arm and equip these gangs and supply them with pocket
money.
Despite President Habibie's January '99 offer of
independence to East Timor if autonomy is rejected by the people, the military
wants to stay.
17 April 1999
UN Secretary-General Kofi
Annan said he $B!H(B He strongly deplores these new acts of violence and
regrets this apparent inability of the Indonesian authorities to control the
violence by militias to protect the civilian population.$B!I(B He called for
an immediate end to this escalation of violence by all sides.
19 April
1999.
In the night, the riot police appeared in Dili city
centre after 48 hours of rioting and killing by the
militias.
