Subject: etpost - Fortilos on intimidation and
threats from the militias
Date: Sat, 17 Apr 1999 08:53:42 -0400
From: tapol@gn.apc.org (TAPOL)Introduction by Fortilos:
The statement made by Xanana Gusmao that 'the people of East Timor have the right to
defend themselves' from attacks by militias which are supported by the Indonesian armed
forces, has been manipulated by the Indonesian media and circles eager for blood as being
a 'declaration of war'. This is now being used by the militias and ABRI to justify their
bloodthirsty operations in Timor Lorosae. Every physical or psychological attack and act
of terror against innocent civilians is being justified on the basis of this manipulation.
All newspapers and groups which take advantage of this manipulation of Xanana's
statement are responsible for East Timorese blood spilt and East Timorese lives lost,
including those of infants and pregnant mothers, and those forced to flee their homes
because of the terror spread by the militia.
Following a statement issued on 13 April by the Commander of Sector-B of AITARAK,
another militia group called The Darah Merah Right-wing Militia Front to Cleanse East
Timor, has likewise utilised the manipulation of Xanana's statement with the following
statement. (The text of the earlier statement by Aitarak is also translated below.}
>From the Darah Merah Right-Wing Militia Front to CLeanse East Timor:
'Red-and-White Greetings'
To all East Timorese in all districts of the Province of East Timor,
We hereby inform the entire population of East Timor that following the Declaration of
War against ABRI and the pro-integration community issued by Xanana Gusmao, President of
the CNRT, we have decided to bring forward Operasi Sapu Jagad - Clean-Sweep Operation -
from the date originally set.
To everyone we say that all East Timorese who are pro-integration should immediately
hang out the red-and-white flag starting on 17 April at 6pm until 15 May 1999.
We will regard anyone who fails to hang out the flag as our enemies.
We call on members of ABRI to continue to guard their posts.
Darah Merah Commander, Lafaek Saburai
Call issued by Commander of Sector-B of AITARAK:
1. Bearing in mind the Statement issued by Xanana Gusmao on 6 April 1999 calling on
FALINTIL and pro-independence people to rise up against ABRI and groups which defend
integration,
2. In view of the fact that up to the present, the 13 districts, 150 (figure not clear)
sub-district capitals and 442 villages in East Timor are under the control of
pro-integration people.
3. Recognising that up to today, pro-integration groups still control the Province of
East Timor.
I herewith declare that commencing 17 April we call upon:
1. All civilian government employees from Grade I to IV who are anti-integration to
resign immediately.
2. Anti-integration government employees who are still prepared to use pro-integration
facilities such as government homes and office cars should immediately return them to the
pro-integration authorities so that they can be handed over to those who struggle for and
defend integration.
3. Ordinary people who are frequently intimidated, terrorised and forcibly robbed of
their money should immediately work together with those who struggle for and defend
integration so as to completely crush those who disrupt integration.
To all East Timorese people wherever you may be, we the armed fighters and defenders of
integration, hereby declare that we are ready to form a fence of legs to protect you from
the activities of the anti-integration groups.
Dili, 13 April 1999
Eurico Guterres,
On behalf of the Commander of the Pro-Integration Soldiers of War, Commander of
Sector-B
TAPOL, the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign 111 Northwood Road, Thornton Heath, Surrey
CR7 8HW, UK Phone: 0181 771-2904 Fax: 0181 653-0322 email: tapol@gn.apc.org Internet:
www.gn.apc.org/tapol Campaigning to expose human rights violations in Indonesia, East
Timor, West Papua and Aceh
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