EAST 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 E-mail: ethrc@minihub.org Chair: Bishop Hilton Deakin Director: Ana Noronha

URGENT ACTION 6 September 1999

NAMES: Aniceto Lopes Guterres

VIOLATIONS: Arbitrary Detention

LOCATION: Dili, East Timor

Ref: UA 9/99

The East Timor Human Rights Centre (ETHRC) is gravely concerned for the safety of Aniceto Lopes Guterres. Aniceto, the head of the human rights organisation Yayasan Hak, had been talking on the phone to a journalist from Lusa as the police arrived. He said "the Brimob (police mobile brigade) are here to take me to their headquarters. I don't know what they want, I don't know if I am being arrested, I don't know anything".

According to Aniceto, the Yayasan Hak human rights office was destroyed by militia in an attack which lasted two hours before the police arrived. Aniceto said all the people in the office at the time were all right, but he could not specify how many were there at the time. He reported that the militia destroyed his house on Saturday, September 4, then on Sunday attacked the office. In the past few months he has received death threats for his involvement in human rights activities.

Aniceto told the Lusa journalist that the attack stated at 9pm on Saturday and believes it was well planned because all the street lights were out in the immediate vicinity which was quite unusual. He pointed out that the areas in which the Yayasan Hak office is situated, a lot of military personnel live. Before being taken away by the police, he reported that the city of Dili "is drowned in chaos". He said it was difficult to determine or to confirm the number of violent incidents that have taken place since the announcement of the ballot results on Saturday, September 4. A reliable ETHRC source has confirmed that Kopassus military personnel are heading these violent incidents.

The ETHRC has received confirmation that thousands of refugees are seeking safety from the violence in a number of Catholic establishments around East Timor. In the Seminary in Dili it has been confirmed that 2500 refugees are seeking protection. At Bishop Belo's house, a large number of people are also seeking refuge. It has been confirmed that Sunday night the militia surrounded Bishop Belo's house. These, and indeed other refugees are too afraid to return their homes. Likewise, refugees are seeking protection at the Conossian Convents in Balide and Becora. Other reports of refugees have come from Kampung Baru and the Salesian college where up to 8000 have been reported.

It has also been confirmed that at 4pm on Sunday September 5, the Camara Ecclesiastica (the Catholic Church Diocesan office) in Dili was set on fire.

RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send faxes/telegrams/express/airmail letters in English, Bahasa Indonesia or your own language:
* expressing particular concern at the detention of Aniceto Lopes Guterres and seeking details of the charges (if any) against him and calling for his immediate release if he has not been charged with a recognisable offence under existing laws;
* seeking assurances that he will not face torture and ill-treatment in detention and that he will be treated humanely in accordance with international standards;
* calling on the government of Indonesia to immediately invite a UN peacekeeping force in to East Timor in order to restore law and order and to assist in the ease of access for humanitarian aid to reach the refugees seeking protection and all the people of East Timor;
* calling on the government of Indonesia to take immediate steps to disarm all civilian militia groups in East Timor and to prosecute those responsible for human rights violations to the fullest extent of the law; and
* 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 military backed militia.

SEND APPEALS TO:

1. 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

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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)

5. 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

6. United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Anan New York, NY 10017 USA Fax: 1 212 963 2155 E-mail: ecu@un.org Or: webadmin.hchr@unog.ch

Please also send appeals to:

* Diplomatic representatives of Indonesia in your country
* Parliamentarians and the Foreign Ministry in your country

PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY Check with the East Timor Human Rights Centre if sending appeals after October 18, 1999.

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