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Support for imprisoned Fretilin leader grows

2 December 1992

By Sean Malloy

The Australian Council For Overseas Aid said that the United Nations should seek the immediate release into UN custody of East Timorese Fretilin leader Xanana Gusmao, who was imprisoned by Indonesian troops on November 20, and involve him in talks on December 17 around Indonesian occupation.

“We remain very concerned for his personal welfare because of his long-standing conflict with the Indonesian military and past cases in Indonesia of death in military custody. The UN, which does not recognise Indonesia's incorporation of East Timor, should intervene to give him protective custody”, said ACFOA spokesperson, Pat Walsh.

“We call on the Australian government to make immediate enquiries about the situation of these people and to ensure that they are given total access by the International Red Cross and that their basic rights are respected according to international standards”, he added.

Democrat Senator John Coulter urged international vigilance to prevent the Indonesian authorities in East Timor from torturing Gusmao.

Coulter also urged the UN to defend Gusmao, “I urge you to press Indonesian authorities most strongly to produce Xanana Gusmao and to grant you and other representatives of the international community access to him, in order to verify that he is being treated correctly”, he said.

Fretilin representatives in Australia have appealed for Gusmao's release.

“There are reports that Xanana has been taken out of East Timor and is currently being held by the Indonesian army somewhere in Jakarta. Information from Indonesia also indicated that Xanana is being subjected to intense interrogations by the Indonesian army and security forces, aimed at obtaining details of the resistance program and movements in East Timor”, said Fretilin representative Estanislau da Silva.

Fretilin is calling on all concerned organisations to pressure Indonesia not to transport Gusmao arbitrarily, not to torture Gusmao, to allow humanitarian organisations access to him and for his release into UN custody.