Subject: ETHRC Bi-Annual Report: Executive Summary
Date: Thu, 19 Aug 1999 11:07:41 -1000
From: ethrc <ethrc@minihub.org>EAST TIMOR HUMAN RIGHTS CENTRE
"HUMAN RIGHTS IN EAST TIMOR: INDONESIA DEFIES UN & INTERNATIONAL
COMMUNITY" Bi-Annual Report of Human Rights Violations in East Timor January to June
1999 August 13, 1999 Ref: SR 1/99
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The first half of 1999 has seen an alarming escalation of human rights violations in
East Timor. Two major changes in the political climate in East Timor have been met with
increased human rights violations against East Timorese civilians. The first major
political event was President Habibie's January 27 commitment to allow the East Timorese
people to vote on an autonomy package. The second event was the signing of the UN Accords
on May 5 for the UN to conduct a popular consultation to determine the will of the East
Timorese people. Despite the raised hopes of a peaceful solution to the East Timor
conflict, there is a serious security crisis on the eve of the referendum.
During this period most of the human rights violations have been at the hands of
pro-Indonesian militia groups which are supported by the Indonesian army. ETHRC sources
have confirmed that the militias are not acting on their own volition and that the militia
groups are being recruited and trained by the Indonesian army. This worrying trend of the
recruitment of militias for the purposes of perpetrating violence and intimidation against
civilians has been well documented by the ETHRC.
One of the most alarming atrocities documented by the ETHRC during the first six months
of 1999 was the early April Liquica massacre where at least 46 civilians were
extra-judicially executed and 56 people were seriously injured. This was the first time
that killings on such a massive scale had taken place within a parish. On 5 May, after
signing the UN Accords, Kofi Annan, UN Secretary General, warned Indonesia of its
obligations to protect the people of East Timor and to effectively carry out its
responsibility for law and order and the protection of all civilians.
Thus far, Indonesia has failed in its obligations to protect civilians. It has also
failed to protect humanitarian relief workers and UN personnel from attacks by the
militias backed by the Indonesian army. The lack of security in East Timor, at present, is
seriously threatening the right of East Timorese to self determination. The ETHRC
condemned the appointment of Eurico Guterres to command PAM Swakarsa (the security force
overseeing the UN ballot). This move clearly implicates the Indonesian government in the
on-going attempts to sabotage the referendum as Eurico Guterres is the commander of the
Aitarak militia responsible for grave human rights abuses in East Timor.
The ETHRC is also concerned with the alarming trend of the increase in the number of
Internally Displaced Persons (IDP's) living in life-threatening conditions. Militia
violence and intimidation directed at civilian villagers has left tens of thousands of
people homeless after their properties and livelihoods were destroyed. This pervasive
climate of intimidation and human rights violations diminishes the opportunity for
civilians in East Timor to exercise their right to register and vote which was guaranteed
by Indonesia under the UN Accords.
While the work of the United Nations Assistance Mission to East Timor (UNAMET) has been
positive in maintaining a semblance of peace in some places of East Timor, other
diplomatic pronouncements by foreign governments have done little to make Indonesia comply
with its international obligations. The Indonesian army and other perpetrators of human
rights violations in East Timor are still acting with impunity. Indonesia has defied the
UN and the international community.
Contact the ETHRC at ethrc@minihub.org to obtain a copy of the report. The hard copy is
approximately 60 pages long and includes some photographs of victims of recent human
rights violations.
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