Subject: UA18/99 Clergy
killed
Date: Fri, 01 Oct 1999 16:11:09 -1000EAST
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 =3D20 E-mail: ethrc@minihub.org
Chair: Bishop Hilton Deakin Director: Ana Noronha
URGENT ACTION 30 September 1999
NAMES:
Mother Superior Celeste de Carvalho (Pinto) )
Fernando dos Santos (Deacon)
)=20
Jacinto Xavier (Deacon)
) confirmed
Valerio (Seminarian)
) killed
3 Unidentified
)=20
VIOLATIONS: Extrajudicial Execution =09 LOCATION: East
Timor
Ref: UA18/99 =09
The East Timor Human Rights Centre (ETHRC) has confirmed
the killings of four East Timorese members of the clergy. They were Mother Superior
Celeste de Carvalho (Pinto), Fernando dos Santos, Jacinto Xavier, both Deacons and Valerio
(no surname) a seminarian. Another three East Timorese were also among the dead including
two female lay workers from Caritas in Baucau and the driver of the vehicle. Two
foreigners, an Italian nun, Mother Erminia Cazzaniga, and an Indonesian journalist, Agus,
were also among the dead. It has been confirmed that militia were responsible for the
killings which took place on Saturday 25 September. Other sources allege that TNI were
also involved in the incident.
It is believed that the group was on the return journey to
Baucau after delivering food to refugees who were hiding in the hills near Lospalos. There
have been conflicting reports of the exact location of where the killings took place. The
ETHRC is seeking to confirm the location.
Background The ETHRC received an earlier report that three
battalions (401, 406, 621) of TNI soldiers were moved to the costal town of Laga, east of
Baucau and that the Indonesian army was still very active in Baucau, Lospalos, Suai and
Covalima.
The ETHRC previously reported that there was widespread
looting and property destruction by fire, as the TNI forces swept through Baucau and
Lospalos.
On Tuesday, September 21, the garage of Fr Joao de Deus,
who lives in Laga, was destroyed by the military-backed militia. It is believed the
Indonesian army also took place in this attack.
The priests and nuns living in Baucau and Laga were in fear
of their lives.
It was also reported that on Tuesday September 21, forty
trucks loaded with Indonesian military and militia arrived in Suai. It is believed their
aim was to eliminate the population hiding in the mountains or to force them into West
Timor. The ETHRC is deeply disturbed that despite the arrival of Interfet forces, the TNI
is continuing their campaign of terror. These acts confirm the fact that it is the TNI,
and not the militia alone, that has masterminded and carried out widespread human rights
violations against East Timorese people.= =20
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send
faxes/telegrams/express/airmail letters in English, Bahasa Indonesia or your own language:
=B7 expressing outrage at the extra-judicial execution of
the nine people; =B7 calling for the immediate arrest and prosecution of those responsible
fo= r human rights violations against the East Timorese people; =B7 calling for immediate
humanitarian aid to be delivered to East Timor;=20 =B7 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 particular to conduct a full and impartial investigation of the
recent violations committed by Indonesian military, police and militia.=20
SEND APPEALS TO:
1. United Nations Secretary-General Secretary General Kofi
Anan New York, NY 10017 USA Fax: +1 212 963 2155 E-mail: ecu@un.org
Or: webadmin.hchr@unog.ch
2. 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
3. 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
4. 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
5. RESORT MILITARY COMMAND (KOREM) Colonel Mohamed Noer
Muis Markas KOREM 164/Wiradharma Dili East Timor Faxes: +62 390 21 624 Telegrams: Colonel
Muis, East Timor (Indonesia)
6. 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:
=B7 Diplomatic representatives of Indonesia in your country
=B7 Parliamentarians and the Foreign Ministry in your country
PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY Check with the East Timor
Human Rights Centre if sending appeals after November 11 1999.
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