Summary
Pax Romana
Urgent Appeal to
* UN Security Council,
* Mr Kofi Annan, Secretary General of UN
* Mrs Mary Robinson, UN High Commissioner for Human
Rights and
* Mr B. J. Habibie, President of Indonesia
On August 30, 1999 the people of East Timor exercised
their right to self- determination through "Popular
Consultation" (Referendum) for the first time in
their history. The overwhelming majority of people in
East Timor expressed their political will and
determination by casting ballots in favor of independence
from Indonesia. As UNAMET officially reported, the
process of the Referendum was generally a success in
spite of intimidation and threat by pro-Indonesian forces.
Since the result of the Referendum was announced on
September 4, 1999, violence and terror escalated
resulting in the killing of hundreds of people and
turning tens of thousands of people into refugees and
internally displaced persons. The number of innocent
victims is rapidly increasing every hour. On September 5,
1999, even Bishop Belo, 1996 Nobel Peace Laureate, who
through all the years, has stood with the suffering
people, had to escape by helicopter. His house and office
have been burnt down.
The report made by the Pax Romana mission team to East
Timor Referendum describes the situation in Dili as
"a reign of terror and fear", and stressed the
urgent need for humanitarian intervention by all the
international community.
UNAMET is under siege, unable to carry out their mandate
according to the New York Agreement signed on May 5, 1999
by Portugal and Indonesia under the auspices of the UN
Secretary-General. Three hundred supervisory unarmed
police of UNAMET are helpless.
Yesterday on September 6, 1999, the Indonesian authority
finally acknowledged that the situation in East Timor was
out of control but still refused to allow the
international community to intervene on humanitarian
grounds.
The situation in East Timor requires immediate and
determined action by the international community in order
to avoid another humanitarian disaster and tragedy. It
challenges the credibility of the UN which supervised the
Referendum process, and particularly the UN Security
Council which is responsible for the peace and human
security of the people in the world. The more we delay
our action, the more victims there will be.
In view of the situation described above, we urgently
demand that
1. The UN Security Council resolve to send a UN Peace-Keeping
Force to East Timor immediately to restore the rule of
law and human security,
2. Mr Kofi Annan, UN Secretary General take all necessary
measures to protect the lives of innocent people and to
ensure the full implementation of the result of the
Referendum,
3. Mrs Mary Robinson, High Commissioner for Human Rights,
send a human rights monitoring team to East Timor
immediately,
4. The Indonesian Government restore peace and order by
immediately disarming militia and withdrawing its
military troops.
Geneva, September 7, 1999
Anselmo Lee, Secretary General, Pax Romana ICMICA
C.P. 315, 15 Rue du Grand-Bureau, CH-1211, Geneva 24,
Switzerland
T : (41-22)-823-0707 / F : (41-22)-823-0708 / Email :
miicmica@paxromana.int.ch
Mailing Addresses for Urgent Appeal for East Timor
1. H.E. Peter van Walsum
Chairperson Security Council United Nations
c\o Permanent Mission of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
to the United Nations
235 East, 45th Street, 16th Floor
New York, N.Y. 10017, USA
Tel : 1-212-697 5547Fax : 1-212-370 1954
E-mail : netherlands@un.int / nlgovnyv@undp.org
2. Mr. Kofi Annan
United Nations Secretary-General
New York, NY 10017 USA
Fax : 1-212-963-2155 Email : ecu@un.org / webadmin.hchr@unog.ch
3. Mrs Mary RobinsonUN High Commissioner for Human
RightsPalais des Nations, CH-1211, Geneve 10, Switzerland
Fax : 41-22 -917-9012
4. President B.J. Habibie President of Indonesia
Office of the President Presidential Palace, Jakarta,
Indonesia
Fax : 62-21-360 517 / 62-21-345 4438
Email : habibie@ristek.go.id
5. Ali Alatas S.H.
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia
Jl. Medan Taman Pejambon No.6, Jakarta, Indonesia
Fax : 62-21-380 5511 / 62-21-724 5354
6. General WirantoCommander of the Armed Forces of
IndonesiaMarkas Besar ABRI, Jl. Medan Merdeka Barat No 13,
Jakarta Pusat, Indonesia
Fax : 62-21-361 471 (Armed Forces HQ) / 62-21-378 144
7. Mr. Marzuki Durusman National Commission on Human
Rights of IndonesiaSekretaris Jenderal Komisi Nasional
Hak Azasi Manusia (Komnas HAM) Jl. Latuharhary No. 4B,
Menteng Jakarta Pusat, Indonesia
Tel/Fax : 62-21-392 5227
Email : info@komnas.go.id
8. Colonel Muhamad Noer Muis Markas KOREM 164/Wiradharma
Dili, East Timor, Indonesia
Tel/Fax : 62-390-321 624
WE SHALL KEEP YOU
INFORMED OF THE LATEST SITUATION AND NECESSARY ACTIONS
REQUIRED BY THE LOCAL GROUPS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
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