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EAST TIMOR HUMAN RIGHTS CENTRE 124 Napier St Fitzroy 3065 Australia PO BOX 1413 Collingwood 3066 Australia Tel: +61 3 9415 8225 Fax: +61 3 9415 8218 E-mail: ethrc@minihub.org Chair: Bishop Hilton Deakin Director: Ana Noronha

URGENT ACTION 17 August 1999

NAMES: Carlos Sarmento (22) Ferlindo da Costa Mario Gusmao Duarte (no surname) Januario da Silva Zelia Fernandes, female Emilio da Silva Guterres (24) Josefina Batista, female, (25)

VIOLATIONS: Extra-judicial execution/ Arbitrary Detention/ Beatings / Possible Rape

LOCATION: Viqueque town, Viqueque District, East Timor

Ref: UA 8/99

The East Timor Human Rights Centre (ETHRC) has confirmed the death of two East Timorese young men on August 11 1999, in a shooting attack on students in the town of Viqueque, East Timor. Carlos Sarmento and Mario Gusmao were killed by pro-Indonesian 59/75 Junior Militia members who attacked a student poll information centre. ETHRC sources have also confirmed that Ferlindo da Costa and Duarte (no surname) sustained serious injuries during the attack.

According to ETHRC sources, another student Zelia Fernandes was arrested by members of KODIM (District Military Command) in Viqueque on 11 August and released the following day. During her detention, Zelia was beaten up. On the same day another student, Januario da Silva was arrested by three members of the Indonesian military and subjected to beatings while in detention. He was released at 9am the next day after members of UNAMET (United Nations Assistance Mission to East Timor) and a student leader intervened. During another incident on 10 August Emilio da Silva Guterres and Josefina Batista were kidnapped by the militia. Sources reported that Josefina was kicked in the back and may also have been raped while in detention. She was released the same day. Emilio is believed to have been beaten up severely with a block of wood before being transferred into police custody. He was released the following day.

Background Information

The militia attack in Viqueque has been the second incident involving a student centre set up to provide information on the up-coming UN organised referendum on East Timor's future on August 30. On 11 August in Maliana (in the west of East Timor), East Timorese students at another student centre were threatened by members of Halilintar (locally raised paramilitary unit). There are unconfirmed reports that the Maliana student centre was again attacked on 16 August by Indonesian military personnel disguised as militia. The ETHRC is trying to obtain further information on the incident. The months of violence, waged by the Indonesian backed militias, is designed to intimidate the East Timorese people into voting for autonomy. The ETHRC has just produced a report documenting the alarming increase of human rights violations in the first half of 1999. Contact the ETHRC to obtain a copy of the report: Human Rights in East Timor: Indonesia Defies UN & the International Community, Bi-Annual Report of Human Rights Violations in East Timor, January to June 1999 Ref: SR 1/99.

RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send faxes/telegrams/express/airmail letters in English, Bahasa Indonesia or your own language: * Expressing concern over the arrests and ill-treatment of the students and calling on the Indonesian authorities to immediately arrest and prosecute those members of the pro-Indonesian 59/75 Junior Militia and KODIM Viqueque responsible for these latest human rights violations in Viqueque to the fullest extent of the law; * Calling on the government of Indonesia to take steps to immediately disarm all civilian militia groups in East Timor and to prosecute all those others responsible for human rights violations in recent months to the fullest extent of the law; and * Calling for immediate and unrestricted access to be allowed to all areas of East Timor for UN human rights monitors, international and local human rights organisations, in order to provide ongoing human rights monitoring, and in particularly to conduct a full and impartial investigation of the recent violations committed by the military and militias.

SEND APPEALS TO:

1. PRESIDENT YUSUF HABIBIE President of the Republic of Indonesia Istana Negara Gedung Binagraha Jl. Veteran Jakarta Pusat INDONESIA Faxes: +62 21 345 7782 Telegrams: President Habibie, Jakarta, Indonesia E-mail: habibie@ristek.go.id

2. MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS Ali Alatas S.H Menteri Luar Negeri Jl. Medan Taman Pejambon No. 6 Jakarta INDONESIA Faxes: +62 21 360 541 / 360 517 / 380 5511 / 345 7782 / 724 5354

3. MINISTER FOR DEFENCE FORCES General Wiranto Menteri Pertahanan Keamanan RI Jl. Medan Merdeka Barat No 13-14 Jakarta 10110 INDONESIA Telephone: +62 21 366 184 Fax: +62 21 3845 178

4. RESORT MILITARY COMMAND (KOREM) Colonel Mohamed Noer Muis Markas KOREM 164/Wiradharma Dili East Timor Faxes: +62 390 21 624 Telegrams: Colonel Suratman, East Timor (Indonesia)

5. MILITARY COMMANDER REGION IX/UDAYANA (includes East Timor) Major General Adam Damiri Pangdam IX/Udayana Markas Besar KODAM IX/Udayana Denpasar, Bali INDONESIA Telephone: +62 361 228 095 Telegrams: Pangdam IX/Udayana, Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia

Please also send appeals to:

* Diplomatic representatives of Indonesia in your country * Parliamentarians and the Foreign Ministry in your country

PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY Check with the East Timor Human Rights Centre if sending appeals after September 28, 1999.

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