Subject: AI UA 80/99 EAST TIMOR Fear for safety
Date: 19 Apr 99 19:56:22 -0400
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PUBLIC AI Index: ASA 21/31/99
19 April 1999
UA 80/99 Fear for safety
EAST TIMOR
Amnesty International fears for the safety of several people in military or
paramilitary custody since violent attacks by paramilitary units on supporters of
independence in Dili, capital of East Timor, on 17 April 1999. Many others are at risk of
arrest.
Antonio Barbosa, a civil servant and pro-independence activist, is believed to have
been arrested at his home on 17 April. His whereabouts are not known. On 19 April Jeremy
De Costa, from Los Palos, was reportedly arrested in Becora, Dili, and taken to a
Sub-district Military Command (Koramil). An eyewitness reported that he was beaten as he
was being arrested. It is not clear if he was arrested by paramilitaries or members of the
Indonesian Armed Forces (ABRI).
Eighteen men were arrested in Viqueque on 17 April by a joint paramilitary and military
team, and are now reportedly detained at the District Military Command (Kodim) in
Viqueque. They are Vitorino de Carvalho, 44, Bonifaso Soares, 25, Jose Soares, 22, Tomas
Ricardo, 22, Alcino Soares Pinto, 20, Acasio Soares Pires, 20, Marcos Soares, 16, Paulino
Soares, 30, Mau Pinto, 20, Luis Soares, 20, Antonio Sarmento, 55, Rogerio Soares, 29, Jose
Soares, 30, Gilberto Pires,40, Silvino Soares,34, Mateus Soares, 18, Manuel Pires, 34 and
Jacob Pires, 30.
There are also fears for the safety of people held in "protective" police
custody since a paramilitary raid on a house in Dili. At least 12 and possibly many more
people were killed during the raid on the house of Manuel Carrascalao, leader of Gerakan
Rekonsiliasi dan Persatuan Rakyat Timor Timor (GRPRTT), the Movement for Reconciliation
and Unity of the East Timorese People. Among those killed were his son, Manelito
Carrascalao, aged 17, and Marito Caeiro. The bodies of the 12 known victims were buried
today by the military and the police. Some 175 people were seeking refuge in the house at
the time of the attack. Half an hour before the attack, Manuel Carrascalao had visited the
East Timor Military Commander to ask for protection. His demand was ignored. The house has
been sealed off by the military authorities and remains closed to human rights monitors
and journalists.
Amnesty International is concerned for the safety of those who survived the attack.
Police authorities claim that 46 people from the house are among 96 people in protective
police custody. The whereabouts of others in the house at the time of the attack remain
unknown.
After the attack, Manuel Carrascalao and his daughter, Christine Carrascalao, sought
refuge in the house of Dili's Bishop Belo. On 18 April, they left the house and are now in
protective custody at the Regional Police Headquarters (Polda) in Dili. They were joined
by a pro-independence leader from the National Council of Timorese Resistance (CNRT),
Leandru Issac, whose house was destroyed by paramilitaries on 17 April. The police are
believed to have agreed that the three are being held in "protective" custody
and are not under arrest.
Other pro-independence figures are known to be at risk of arrest, in particular leaders
of the CNRT, including David Ximenes and Vasco de Gama.
Human rights organizations have also been threatened, and have ceased operating from
their offices. Several human rights monitors are at risk of arrest, including Aniceto
Guterres and Ze Luis, the director and deputy director of Yayasan Hak, Human Rights
Foundation. On 19 April, the Yayasan Hak office - previously vacated by the organization's
staff - was guarded all day by military and members of the militias. There are also fears
for Alfredo, who works with the Justice and Peace Commission in Aileu District.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The situation in Dili, capital of East Timor, has deteriorated rapidly since 16 April
with the arrival of over 1,000 members of paramilitary units in the town. On 13 April the
paramilitaries issued public threats that from 17 April they would seek out supporters of
independence. ABRI knew about the threats but took no action to prevent paramilitary
violence or protect those at risk. On 17 April, after holding a rally in front of the East
Timorese Governor's office, paramilitaries boarded some 36 trucks and drove in a convoy
around Dili. They then began attacking the offices and houses of known pro-independence
groups and figures, including the office of the CNRT. Most of the houses and offices they
targeted were empty, as most pro-independence leaders had already gone into hiding. ABRI
and police, present on the streets of Dili, took no action to prevent the attacks.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send faxes/express/airmail letters in Bahasa Indonesia or
your own language:
- urging the authorities to prevent the arrest of pro-independence leaders and human
rights monitors by either paramilitary or military units;
- urging the authorities to ensure that those people who have been taken into custody
by military or paramilitary units are given access to legal counsel, medical assistance
and their families, and are not tortured or ill-treated;
- urging that those held for their peaceful activities are released unless they are
immediately charged with a recognisably criminal offence;
- urging the authorities to disarm and disband all paramilitary units;
- urging the authorities to take all measures to ensure that those in protective police
custody are protected from attacks by paramilitary and military units, are not arrested
and are allowed access to legal counsel, humanitarian assistance and their families;
- urging the authorities to allow a full and impartial investigation into the deaths in
Dili since 17 April.
APPEALS TO: (Time difference = GMT + 7 hrs / BST + 6 hrs)
MINISTER OF DEFENCE AND SECURITY
Gen. Wiranto Menteri Pertahanan dan Keamanan Jl. Medan Merdeka Barat No.13-14 Jakarta
10110 Indonesia Fax: + 62 21 381 4535/ 384 5178
PLEASE SEND COPIES OF YOUR APPEALS TO: Embassy of Indonesia, 38 Grosvenor Square,
London W1X 9AD. Fax: 0171 491 4993
AND, IF POSSIBLE, TO THE FOLLOWING:
PRESIDENT
President Jusuf Habibie Presiden RI Istana Negara Jl. Veteran Jakarta Pusat Indonesia
Fax: + 62 21 3281693904541/+ 62 21 526 8726 Fax: + 62 21 380 5511/+62 21 345 7782/ (via
Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY. Please do not send appeals after 31 May 1999.
If you have any queries about this Urgent Action or about + + the UA scheme in general,
please contact: + + Ray Mitchell / Becky Hess + + Amnesty International UK Section + + 99
- 119 Rosebery Avenue + + London EC1R 4RE email: ua@amnesty.org.uk
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