Stop press: Attack on Dili

Issue 

The following is abridged from a statement issued from Dili by the HAK Foundation, a non-government human rights organisation, on the afternoon of April 17.

"In the front yard of the Governor's office, a grand ceremony was held to inaugurate the pro-autonomy [anti-independence] militia command AITARAK under the leadership of Eurico Guterres. This ceremony was attended by pro-autonomy militia from around East Timor [and] government civil and military officials, including the Governor, the Dili Military Commander, the Police Commander, District Military Commander and the Head of Dili District.

"Similar to such events in other districts, the population of Dili was coerced to attend the ceremony by the local military men and heads of the villages who rounded people up from 6am.

"During the ceremony, Pro-Integration War Commander Joao Tavares basically said that the pro-integration groups have existed since before the East Timorese integration with Indonesia in 1975 [and that] the purpose of their troops is to fight Fretilin.

"Guterres shouted, 'Starting from today, I order all pro-integration militia to clean up the traitors of integration. Arrest and kill them if necessary.' Eurico also condemned Mario Carrascalao and told the militia to burn down his house."

A Timorese Democratic Union statement, also released on April 17, said: "Peace and reconciliation group leader Manuel Carrascalao reported that militia firing automatic weapons supplied by the Indonesian army attacked his home and chopped to death scores of refugees, mainly women and children, who were sheltering there. His 17-year-old son Manelito and family friend Cavaterra were both reported killed ... Other witnesses reported that Indonesian soldiers moved into the house and set fire to it after the militias had finished their grisly work.

[See page 13 for more coverage.]

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