Also: JP- Indonesian soldiers among attackers in 1999 Dili incident: Witness

Indonesian soldiers among attackers in 1999 Dili incident: witness

Agence France-Presse

October 8, 2002

An East Timorese man, wounded in an attack on a refugee-packed compound in Dili in April 1999, told a court here that Indonesian soldiers were among the attackers.

"I am certain that the TNI (the Indonesian armed forces) launched the attack because I recognized several people among the attackers as being TNI members from the Maubara (subdistrict)," witness Florendo de Jesus told the rights trial at the Central Jakarta district court.

De Jesus, 21, a student from the East Timor capital Dili, was testifying at the trial of Lieutenant Colonel Endar Priyanto, a former East Timor military chief, for gross human rights violations in the former Indonesian-ruled territory.

When asked to identify the soldiers among the attackers, the witness gave six names whom he said were all soldiers serving in the Maubara subdistrict.

"One of them is my own uncle, Jose Matheus," de Jesus said.

He also insisted that the incident on April 17, 1999, could only be described as a one-sided attack and not a clash between two East Timorese factions as the defendant had alleged.

"It was an attack and not a clash," de Jesus said of the events which began shortly after noon.

He said a car had initially tried to ram the main gate of the residence of pro-independence leader Manuel Viegas Carascallao, where de Jesus and some 200 other refugees had sought shelter and protection.

When this failed, a truck broke down the gate allowing the attackers to storm the house. At least 12 people were killed in the attack, including a son of Carascallao.

"I tried to jump the fence and run but some men came after me and I was wounded by a machete slash on my back," said de Jesus, one of the few East Timorese willing to testify at the Indonesian rights court.

Others have declined to testify in Jakarta, mostly citing fears for their security.

Priyanto is one of 18 military and police officers, officials and civilians who have faced charges of gross human rights violations for failing to prevent or stop massacres by subordinates in Dili in April and September 1999.

In widely criticised verdicts, the court has already acquitted six officers including the former police chief and sentenced the former governor to just three years in jail. The others are still on trial.

Pro-Indonesian local militias, who were armed and organised by the Indonesian military, launched a brutal campaign of intimidation before the August 1999 vote to break away from Indonesia and a revenge campaign afterwards. An estimated 1,000 people were killed.

The trial continues next Monday.

Indonesian soldiers among attackers in 1999 Dili incident: Witness

The Jakarta Post 9 October 2002

JAKARTA (JP): Florenda De Jesus, a 21-year-old East Timorese student from Dili who was wounded in an attack on a refugee-packed compound in the East Timor capital in April 1999, told the Central Jakarta District Court on Tuesday that Indonesian soldiers were among the attackers.

"I am certain that the Indonesian Military (TNI) launched the attack because I recognized several people among the attackers as TNI members from the Maubara (subdistrict)," De Jesus said as quoted by AFP.

De Jesus was testifying at the trial of Lt. Col. Endar Priyanto, a former East Timor military chief, for gross human rights violations in the former Indonesian-ruled territory. When asked to identify the soldiers who took part in the attack, the witness gave the names of six soldiers he said were serving in the Maubara subdistrict. "One of them is my uncle, Jose Matheus," De Jesus said.

He also insisted that the incident on April 17, 1999, could only be described as a one-sided attack and not a clash between two East Timorese factions, as the defendant had alleged. "It was an attack and not a clash," De Jesus said of the events which began shortly after noon.

He said a car had initially tried to smash through the main gates of the residence of proindependence leader and former East Timor governor Manuel Viegas Carascallao, where De Jesus and some 200 others had sought shelter and protection.

When this failed a truck broke down the gates, allowing the attackers to storm the house. At least 12 people were killed in the attack, including a son of Carascallao. "I tried to jump the fence and run but some men came after me and I was slashed across the back with a machete," De Jesus said.

Priyanto is one of 18 military and police officers, officials and civilians to have been charged with gross human rights violations for failing to prevent or stop massacres in East Timor in April and September 1999.

In widely criticized verdicts, the court has already acquitted six officers, including a former police chief in East Timor, and sentenced a former governor of the territory to just three years in jail. The others are still being tried.