Summary
Following the
referendum held on August 30, 1999 under the auspices of
the United Nations, pro-integration militia groups
renewed their campaign of terror against the people of
East Timor. The situation has developed quickly without
concrete improvement of the human rights situation.
Sources allege that more than 20,000 East Timorese may
have been killed so far. This alleged campaign of terror
(because it is believed to have been orchestrated) has
included the harassing and killing of church people -
nuns and priests - who have been providing humanitarian
help. Bishop Carlos Belo, the spiritual leader of East
Timor has urged the United Nations Security Council to
act urgently to halt the "genocide" that has
followed the August 30 vote.
Humanitarian agencies warn of impending disaster, with
150,000 East Timorese displaced and many have no food,
water or money. The Red Cross said at least 25,000 had
fled their homes in Dili, the capital of East Timor since
the voting date. Exiled independence leader Jose Ramos
Horta said that tens of thousands of East Timorese are
starving and "women, many women, are already
committing suicide. They prefer to commit suicide rather
than fall in the hands of the special forces (Indonesian
military) who rape them in front of their husbands and
then shoot them".
There is genuine fear that a massacre is happening even
before any United Nations peace-keeping forces arrive and
the Indonesia's legislature meets in November to ratify
the separation process.
Local groups are urging for international pressure on the
United Nations to IMMEDIATELY SEND PEACE-KEEPING FORCES
to East Timor because the Indonesian military can not or
will not restore peace and order even though martial law
was declared on September 7. After much international
pressure, Indonesian President Habibie agreed on
September 12 to allow United Nations peace-keeping forces
into East Timor. However, at the moment there is no
timetable for that process. THERE IS CONCERN THAT THE
ACTUAL PROCESS MAY BE DELIBERATELY DELAYED, ALLOWING THE
CAMPAIGN OF TERROR TO CONTINUE, WHEN INTERNATIONAL
CONCERN REDUCES. It is believed that the human rights
situation will be even worse under martial law because
the military has massive powers to shoot on sight, to
control the media and any expression of opinion and to
assume all authority in East Timor.
Hence your action is essential. To PROTECT human life in
East Timor, ALL MUST ACT QUICKLY because CONTINUED
INTERNATIONAL PRESSURE IS VERY IMPORTANT AT THE MOMENT AS
WELL AS DURING THE COMING TRANSITION TO INDEPENDENCE.
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| Action Requested Please write to the United Nations (UN)
to:
* express your concern about the tragedy in East Timor
* call for the UN peace-keeping forces to be sent
immediately to restore peace and order in East Timor
* call for UN human rights monitoring to stop further
human rights abuses in East Timor.
If, by the time this appeal reaches you, a UN peace-keeping
force has fortunately been sent, please continue taking
action by expressing concern and calling for UN human
rights monitoring. The situation is very uncertain and
many things could happen which could contribute to a
continuation of the state of terror in the territory.
(1)His Excellency Kofi Annan, Secretary General to the
United Nations
United Nations Headquarters, New York, NY 10017, U.S.A.
Fax : 1 - 212 - 963 4879 / 2155 Email: webadmin.hchr@unog.ch
(2)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, NY 10017,
USA
Fax: 1-212-370 1954 Email: netherlands@un.int /
nlgovnyv@undp.org
(3)Diplomatic representatives of the five permanent
members of the Security Council of the United Nations in
your country. The members are: (i) United States of
America, (ii) United Kingdom, (iii) France, (iv) The
Peoples' Republic of China and (v) Russia
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Sample
Letter
| I/we
am/are gravely concerned about the continued
intimidation and violence in East Timor after the
referendum held on August 30, 1999 under the
auspices of United Nations. I/We want to state my/our
recognition of the professional work undertaken
by international and local staff of the United
Nations Assistance Mission in East Timor (UNAMET),
with full respect to the free will of the people
to vote in East Timor. Nevertheless, after the
announcement of the ballot result that the
majority of the East Timorese population vote for
independence, there has been a systematic process
of intimidation and violence against the innocent
population as well as local and international
UNAMET personnel and international observers.
Reports of the recent attacks of churches and
killing of at least eight defenseless priests and
four nuns who provide humanitarian helps to the
East Timorese are disturbing. The violence is
committed by the so called "militias",
whose action have been tolerated by the Indonesia
police and military. The Indonesia government is
clearly not willing to fulfill its
responsibilities to disarm and bring the militias
under control. To prevent further human right
abuses and loss of human lives in East, I/we urge
the Security Council of the United Nations to
immediately send peace-keeping forces to East
Timor to restore peace and order. The United
Nations needs to stop further human rights abuses
and ensure a peaceful transition to independence
in East Timor. |
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Background
Attacks on Church
The pattern of violence against the spiritual leaders of
East Timor and the other priests and nuns is extremely
worrying and the Catholic Church holds a special place in
East Timor in that it was always able to provide
protection for East Timorese civilians who were
experiencing violence or intimidation. The Catholic
Church was seen as a sanctuary. But the last line of
protection and the international voice for East Timorese
is being destroyed. East Timorese resistance leader Jose
Ramos Horta said on September 10, 1999 that 'For the
first time in the history of East Timor, the catholic
church itself has been come under fire. Churches are
being burned, bishops are targets. Who is capable of
doing that? The East Timorese are devoutly Catholic. Even
the worst East Timor common criminal would never touch a
priest, a bishop or the church. Who therefore is behind
them?"
Confirmed dead by sources:
- Sr Margarida Soares, 85 years old, a Canossian nun, was
killed in Lecidere church in Dili on September 8;
- Fr Francisco Baretto, the priest heading the East
Timorese branch of Catholic aid agency Caritas, and 40
staff of Caritas; Fr Francisco Tavares dos Reis, Fr
Hilario Mandeira, Fr Tarcisius Dewanto (a Jesuit) and Fr
Luis Bonaparte, Fr Hilario Pereira, Fr Francisco Soares,
1 unidentified priest and three unidentified nuns.
Reported but unconfirmed: Fr Domingos Maubere Soares and
Fr Jovito.
Other attacks: Bishop Basilio Do Nascimento, apostolic
administrator of Baucau diocese, was attacked on
September 8 by the militia while protecting refugees who
seeking refuge in Bishop's house, one day after Bishop
Belo was airlifted from Dili to take refuge in Baucau on
September 6. Bishop Basilio's house was burnt and
destroyed and he later fled Baucau with Salesian priests.
Other places burnt by militia include, Franciscan Convent
in Taibesi, Salesian College in Comoro, Dili, the SVD
Convent in Kuluhun, Dili, the Nuns Convent in Dili the
Cathedral in Dili, Moatel Church in Dili, the Seminary,
Balide, Dili.
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