Subject: AI: Detailed testimony from 2 East Timorese
refugees
Date: Wed, 15 Sep 1999 18:52:39 EDTalso: Forced militia recruitment and arrests in
relocation camps
AI INDEX: ASA 21/150/99 14 September 1999
INDONESIA
Testimonies from two East Timorese refugees
(Please note that certain names and locations have been deleted to protect the
individuals concerned)
Testimony 1
On Friday, 3 September, I began to feel unsafe, so went for refuge at the [...]. There
were only a few refugees there, just pregnant women. I was told not to leave the room, in
case someone recognised me. But I was uneasy, so the next day, I asked permission to go
home because I hadn't brought anything except the blouse I was wearing and the children.
In the middle of the road I met a neighbour.
She asked, "Where are you going?". I said I wanted to go back to my house.
She then prohibited me because my family and I were being sought and my house had already
been ransacked by the militia.
I began to cry and told my husband what I had heard about our house, that it had
already been ransacked. My husband said, "If that's the case, you go to the police
and request an escort so that you can see the condition of the house."
So I went to the police along with my nephew. The police asked me, "Why do you
want to go to your house?" I said, "It's not that, Sir. I wanted to come here to
report that my house has been ransacked by militia, by Aitarak ["Thorn"
militia]. We've heard it's been burned. So, I want to see what condition my house is
in." I was hounded by another question, "What is it you wanted to save from that
house?" I was then confused because I didn't know what I wanted to save. I only had
the blouse I was wearing, so finally I said, "Sir, whatever can be salvaged, I will
take with me. Even if there is nothing there, I just want to see what is there."
After quite awhile, I was taken to the house by eight police. One of them said,
"You have made a mistake asking for our help; actually security problems are no
longer our responsibility. But we still have some sympathy, we are still human, so we are
helping you; after all, you are also a woman."
A police beside me continued, "Supposing they have begun to murder each other
there, we will just have to let it go, we can't take any action because it is no longer
our responsibility."
Actually I wanted to contest this because according to what I heard along with what I
had read and seen in the mass media, Pak Alatas [Indonesian Foreign Minister] said that
this was still the responsibility of the Indonesian government. But the police didn't
explain it to me like that, and because I was confused and felt stuck, I just remained
silent. If I responded in a way that would invite questions I might be finished off right
there.
So I indeed saw that my house had been completely ransacked; nothing was left. It was
all gone; wardrobes, clothes, all of it had been destroyed. Statues of Jesus and the
Nazareth family had disappeared, also prayer candles that had been blessed. It was as if
they used those candles to burn my house. Furthermore, I was surprised there was
absolutely no trace of the TV or radio. I thought for sure they had been stolen because I
saw all my dishes stacked in a wok as if they were ready to be carried away. They probably
didn't have a chance to take them. After I saw it all, all that was left were my husband's
neckties. They probably figured they had no use for those so just left them. All our
shirts and blouses had been burned. I could take only a few remaining children's clothes
that were still in decent condition because at the time we sought refuge we didn't have an
opportunity to take anything at all with us. After taking the children's clothes I went to
the regional police and waited for my husband whi le I cried.
After I met my husband I returned to [...] thinking I might die because the condition
was really tense. The militia were running wild in the streets while shooting in every
direction. When I arrived at Y, I heard the militia who had already surrounded [...] and
were shooting at the fence. I hid with three of my children in the bathroom. I unrolled a
mat for my children in the bathroom. I straightened up the room so that when they broke in
they would think no one was there. Shots were heard throughout the night into the morning.
Early in the morning, A suggested that the four of us go to [...] because of fears that
we would be attacked. And it's true that we got information that the night after we left,
that place was burnt. It's a good thing we left that morning, so that we were safe.
We left East Timor on 6 September. When I was leaving I saw lots of Aitarak militia
wildly checking everyone leaving the territory. My hand was grabbed by a militia but
fortunately my sister said, "Hey don't. She's my brother-in-law's older sister from
Flores!" So they released me.
When we arrived at our destination there were a lot of militia there, closely watching
everything along with the police. I covered my head with a handkerchief so I would not be
easily recognized. I was afraid of the brutal militia that might pull me away.
As we were travelling to our final destination, we stopped for fuel. There I witnessed
a horrifying event. I saw two people who were tied in a truck by Aitarak militia. In the
truck were not only the two tied people, but also militia. Suddenly, in front of lots of
people, a militia member in full style slowly drew a sword. As if wanting to indicate his
prisoner's acceptance, he slowly stabbed one of the people tied in the truck. Lots of
blood began to gush, flooding the floor of the truck until it began to drip out. The other
person's hands and feet were tied like a pig. They threw this person like a bag of rice
onto the asphalt. From the asphalt he was thrown into another truck. I don't know what
happened after that because then we left.
In the bus I cried when I saw their savagery; that they could do such a thing.
Testimony 2
The increase in violence such as murder, capture, terror, intimidation, and burning
houses in Dili after the referendum caused me to flee with my family from our house in
[...] and run to the government-provided house of my uncle in [...]. But on Friday night,
3 September 1999, I heard that the results of the referendum would be announced at 9.00
a.m. the next day, Saturday, 4 September 1999, so my family hurried to seek refugee at
Bishop Belo's compound before the announcement. The reason we sought refuge at Bishop
Belo's was because we considered it safer. We thought the militia wouldn't go into the
Bishop's house because although the militia had already burned residences in Dili, at
least they would still have some respect for Bishop Belo. But we realized just how wrong
we were after the Bishop's compound was attacked on 6 September 1999 at 10.45 a.m.
Approximately half an hour before the attack, I saw the Bishop call a refugee, [...],
to arrange for all the refugees who wanted to go to Baucau because at that time that
region was still considered safe. After that, [...] called [...], an East Timorese singer,
to announce to the refugees that whoever wanted to go to Baucau could sign up for that.
Transportation would be provided by a team from Baucau who also guaranteed safety for the
refugees. As we began to pack our things to take to Baucau, the militia suddenly began to
attack us. Before they entered, they began shooting in. I chanced to see not just the
Aitarak ["Thorn"] militia shooting us, but also police and military were behind
the militia, also shooting in. The refugees inside ran in all directions.
After they broke in they began to burn the Bishop's house with gasoline, beginning with
the windows of the library until the chapel windows. Empty water bottles filled with
gasoline were thrown into other buildings. Besides that, someone threw two cooking stoves,
one into the dining room and one into the front guest room. In the end, fire was burning
out of control everywhere.
As the militia entered they forced us to exit the house. At the moment I ran outside, I
saw a child shot in the eye. We refugees were threatened at rifle-point and gathered in
the yard outside in front of the Bishop's residence. The militia began to swear at us,
saying we had all just tagged along after albinos (white people), but we could now see for
ourselves that they had run off and left all of us behind. Besides the militia, police and
military were also present and joined in terrorizing and verbally abusing us.
We were left alone. There was no longer anyone to order us about. We sat in the sun in
the wide yard. From there I saw a vehicle owned by the police entering. They ordered us to
all sit and then pressured us to surrender our car keys to them. Fortunately my father
would not hand over the keys.
Next to be attacked was the Sister of Canosian's house. The militia began to shoot in
front of the sisters' house while screaming that if all of you (sisters) don't get out of
the house we will burn all of your houses along with all of you. Hearing this the sisters
ran outside carrying objects used for mass such as chalices, etc. Those sisters joined us.
After making us sit in the sun for two hours, they ordered us to take our things inside.
After taking our things inside, they threatened us to leave the Bishop's residence because
if we didn't leave, they would attack all of us later at 5.00 in the evening (17.00).
We ran outside carrying as much of our things as we could. In front of the residence I
saw a lot of people looking for their families. A cousin of mine was looking for her son
and daughter. Some were looking for their parents. We just cried and cried. We were
confused about which direction we should go. If we returned to our houses, they would
attack us again. We finally agreed to take refuge at the regional police station because
it was probably safer.
We headed to Polda [the Regional Police Headquarters] in our own car. The road to Polda
was very tense. Everywhere there were militia and police. At approximately 2.00 we arrived
at [...] Polda. There I saw a lot of refugees. The Polda refugee site, although larger
than the one in Licedere, was not safe because of all the militia there. They controlled
whomever entered there.
The next morning after we heard that a Hercules transport was to fly from Baucau to
Kupang, we ran to the trucks owned by Polda that would take us to the airport. My younger
siblings and I ran and got into a truck, but my father, mother and older brother got into
our car to go to the airport. We wanted to go to Baucau actually, but after we got to the
airport we heard that there was no route to Baucau, so we were forced to go to Kupang.
At 14.00 we arrived at Eltari airport in Kupang. We didn't list ourselves as refugees
because my cousin's wife is from Kupang. We're living with them for the time being while
we look for other places to stay.
[Note: 'Loro Sae' is the name for East Timor in the local language, Tetum].
Source: Amnesty International, International Secretariat, 1 Easton Street, WC1X 8DJ,
London, United Kingdom
News Service 168/99 AI INDEX: 21/139/99 8 September 1999
East Timor
Forced militia recruitment and arrests in relocation camps
East Timorese pro-independence supporters who have been forced into relocation camps
are reportedly being arrested or forcibly recruited into militia units, Amnesty
International said today.
The news came as the Indonesian National Army (TNI) and pro-Indonesian militias
continued to force people to abandon East Timor for neighbouring West Timor in a move
referred to by the United Nations Assistance Mission to East Timor (UNAMET) as a
systematic campaign of "forced population movement".
"The East Timorese are being forced to abandon their homes for a life on the run
or in makeshift camps, where the militias, police and army can intimidate, arrest and
detain them at will," Amnesty International said.
"Some men are reportedly even being forced to join pro-Indonesia militia groups
and to go back to East Timor to fight their own people."
Militia groups have been seen in Kupang, the capital of West Timor, and are believed to
be active in camps for displaced people in Atambua and Kupang. One eyewitness today
reported seeing a militia member carrying a machine gun inside one of the camps in Kupang.
Senior militia leaders have also visited the displaced persons in Atambua.
One man from Ermera District, East Timor, was reportedly taken into custody by the
security forces in a displaced persons site in Atambua on 7 September, after he had
removed an Indonesian flag from a local health clinic.
An East Timorese man, Jose da Costa, was reportedly detained by police along with 19
unnamed women at a camp housing East Timorese. Jose da Costa was arrested after another
man in the camp, who suspected that he was a member of the National Council of Timorese
Resistance (CNRT), informed the police of his presence. It is unclear where he and the 19
women -- also suspected of being pro-independence supporters -- are currently detained.
While the Indonesian Red Cross has apparently gained some access to the displaced
persons camps, access remains restricted. Journalists and international humanitarian
workers have been assaulted at the camps, possibly by militia members.
The forced relocation of East Timorese is believed to have begun on 4 September.
Eyewitnesses reported seeing TNI members telling people in Dili to leave their homes and
threatening those who refused.
Forced relocation is reported from all districts on East Timor, but in particular the
western areas of Ermera, Liquisa, Suai, Dili and Bobonaro Districts. Eyewitnesses in
Atambua claim that the displaced East Timorese are arriving in West Timor in trucks with
TNI and militia members in the same vehicles.
Estimates of the number of East Timorese who have already arrived in West Timor range
from 44,000 to around 60,000. They are concentrated in three main areas; the majority are
in Atambua, near the border with East Timor and around Kupang, the capital of West Timor.
Some 8,000 East Timorese are also believed to have arrived in the town of Kefamenanu.
According to United Nations staff 5,000 East Timorese were today gathered at
Dili’s harbour and being forced to leave.
The Commander of Indonesia’s Armed Forces, General Wiranto, has denied that East
Timorese are being forced to relocate to West Timor, claiming that the departure of tens
of thousands of East Timorese is "spontaneous".
Serious concerns remain for the safety of thousands of internally displaced persons
still in East Timor. Along with the around 1,500 people -- mostly women and children --
who have been seeking shelter in the UNAMET compound, where they are at grave risk of
militia and TNI attacks on suspicion of being pro-independence supporters. Their situation
is likely to become more critical as UNAMET staff prepare to withdraw from East Timor.
"The East Timorese people have already been left with no human rights observers or
journalists," Amnesty International said. "Soon there will be no witnesses at
all to the TNI and militia violence."
Source: Amnesty International, International Secretariat, 1 Easton Street, WC1X 8DJ,
London, United Kingdom
News Service 168/99 AI INDEX: ASA 21/137/99 8 September 1999
Indonesia/East Timor
Attacks on nuns, priests and church workers
Amnesty International is seriously concerned for the safety of priests, nuns and church
workers in East Timor who are increasingly being targeted by armed pro-Indonesian militia
an the Indonesian National Army (TNI).
Historically perceived by Indonesian authorities and pro-integration East Timorese as
being in favour of independence for East Timor, priests, nuns and church workers have been
subjected to death threats, arbitrarily detained and physically assaulted.
On 6 September, Bishop Belo’s home in the capital, Dili, was attacked by what
journalists describe as a handful of militias backed up by a larger number of soldiers
from the Indonesian National Army (TNI). Thousands of internally displaced persons seeking
shelter at the Bishop’s residence were marched off at gunpoint by militia and TNI.
Their whereabouts are unknown.
On 8 September, the home of Baucau’s Bishop, Basilio Nascimento, was attacked, and
the Bishop and staff are now believed to have gone into hiding fearing for their lives.
There are also reports that two priests in Suai have been killed.
Amnesty International is also concerned at unconfirmed reports that four priests in
Suai -- Father Dewanto, Father Hilario Pereira, Father Francisco Soares and Father Luis
Bonaparte -- are at grave risk of attack. Fears for their safety have been heightened by
reports that Father Hilario Pereira, Father Abel Jacob, Father Domingos Soares, Father
Francisco Soares, and Father Abel Belo are on a militia death list.
Several churches and offices have already been destroyed across East Timor in the last
few days. Reports from East Timor today say that in Dili alone the Dili Cathedral, the
Motael Church and a convent in Becora have been attacked. These reports cannot be
confirmed.
The United Nations Assistance Mission to East Timor (UNAMET) -- confined to its
compound in Dili and denied access to their own food stocks by the TNI -- is currently
withdrawing most of its staff to Darwin, Australia. There are no human rights monitors
left in East Timor and a handful of journalists remain. In what has been a systematic
campaign of intimidation, threats and attacks against observers, the Indonesian national
Army (TNI) and the militias have ensured that there are no longer any witnesses to their
atrocities.
Source: Amnesty International, International Secretariat, 1 Easton Street, WC1X 8DJ,
London, United Kingdom
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