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EAST TIMOR – MOB
RULE May 1999 ACEH SHOOTING MAUKARA - International
relations coordinator, Rentil and Impetu MAUKARA LIEUTENANT COLONEL
GUNTUR GATOT STANISLAV SALSINKA
MARTINS - Caritas East Timor PAULO DA COSTA
SUAREZ - Ermera pro-integration leader STANISLAV |
Troops open fire on a mass of demonstrators in Aceh, a response by Indonesia’s military, reminiscent of the Santa Cruz massacre in East Timor in 1991. But these days such open and direct conflict between Indonesia’s security forces and separatists is rare in East Timor. Such is the effectiveness of the military’s 24-year-old grip on the province – a grip now further tightened with the assistance of anti-independence militias. Last year pro-independence student demonstrations like this one in Dili were a common sight in East Timor – as students relished the new freedoms of Indonesia’s post-Suharto reformasi. While this showing outside the university of East Timor might be small, it is significant. This is the first time students have dared to so publicly voice their political demands since pro-integration militias went on a campaign of destruction through the streets of Dili two and a half weeks ago. But they are not yet willing to carry this courage outside of the capital. (INTERVIEWER) You’re scared to go
to the villages now because of the militias? “Yes of course this
is very big trouble for us – they stuff us – so we will not come to the
village, of course.” (INTERVIEWER) Is it too
dangerous? “Very dangerous – and
they very hate the students, they very hate the students.” Just as students travelled these winding roads last year speaking of independence, most of East Timor’s roads are now under the control of Indonesia’s police, military and the pro-integrationists they support. While these guard posts invariably fly the colours of Indonesia’s flag and sometimes display the names of militia groups, this police lieutenant colonel maintains they are here just to keep the peace. “Now let’s clear
this up so there is no misunderstanding. Normally this post would have a sign
above it saying neighbourhood security post but because its just been built
there is no sign yet. This post is generally used to protect against things
that disrupt society… people like criminals, noisy behaviour, thieves and
robbers.” This is Liquica where up to sixty refugees from surrounding villages were killed a month ago when pro-integration militia men attacked the towns church and priest’s house – pro-integrationists say – in retaliation to activity by independence supporters. Now refugees are again living here… The police are not keen for us to speak with them but when we do this man tells us they were told to come here by police to keep safe from Besih Merah Putih – the red and white iron militia. The police commander corrects the refugee telling us that these people don’t understand politics and the real reason they are here is to keep safe from pro-independence falintil guerrillas. A Catholic relief agency worker in Dili tells another Liquica story. He claims the refugees have been forced into the town to secure their vote on autonomy. “These people they
bring back from the mountains to gather them together and to force them to
sign the same paper, then waiting for a kind of voting for the elections, the
general elections, or the vote which is coming on August 8th.” On the road into the old Portuguese town of Ermera, southwest of Dili, we come across truckloads of men from the militia group known as Naga Merah. “This is my wish
and the wish of the people of the Ermera district – that we must support
integration for our futures and for the future of East Timor – especially the
district of Ermera.” The militia men tell us they are going to a meeting but other sources in the district say they are heading for the nearby village of Hatolia to look for members of CRT – the political umbrella group for pro-independence East Timorese. “Just recently I heard
that there were attacks from the militias and the military moving towards
Hatolia and there were reports that several refugees coming from surrounding
villages that are centred now in Hatolia – there are more than seven
thousand.” According to human rights organisations a major crackdown on independence supporters has taken place in the Ermera area over the last three weeks. A local CNRT office in Ermera has been destroyed and its leaders have been killed, jailed or forced to flee. It was the discovery by police of eleven bodies of pro-integrationists in a mass grave in the Ermera area that has brought the conflict in this district to a head. News of the grave provoked an immediate response in Ermera. (PTC) “This house
was burnt to the ground last Friday after police alleged that the eleven
people found in the mass grave were killed falintil guerrillas CNRT
pro-independence party. Local sources say the house was owned by a CNRT
leader who has since fled Ermera.” A few hundred metres away people sing to Mother Mary in Ermera’s Catholic church. In contrast to other parts of Indonesia, religious unity is one of the few constants in East Timor today. The other constant is conflict between Indonesia and its loyalists and those who still dream of a different future for this troubled province. |