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.
World Leaders Contact List The East Timorese need
you to speak out for them
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