---------------------------------------------------------- FREE for JOIN Indonesia Daily News Online via EMAIL: go to: http://www.indo-news.com/subscribe.html - FREE - FREE - FREE - FREE - FREE - FREE - Dengan mengClick banner sponsor anda menyumbang Rp. 1000,- untuk HomePage IndoNews. ---------------------------------------------------------- Precedence: bulk Date: Tue, 06 Apr 1999 15:24:47 -0400 From: "John M. Miller" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> The following was received from Dili on April 5. Greetings from Dili. I have just returned from a bloody mess at the Motael Clinic. It seems this morning a combined froce of 30 Besi Merah Putih (BMP) paramilitaries and Indonesian soliders from Koramil attacked the village of Fatuvao, five kms from Liquica on the Maubara road. According to the people I talked to, the attack happened at 9 am when the attackers came into the village and just started shooting indiscriminately. Reports are as yet mixed on what happened but people fled in all directions. Accroding to **** about seven people (that he knows about) were wounded. Other reports indicate that one of the wounded has died in the military hospital. Others say two have died. Reports are as yet confused. Another man I talked to say the attackers then went into Liquica town itself and started shooting at people. But as yet I have not yet heard about more casualities. As I said before Liquica is a real crisis area where the military and paramilitaries are doing their utmost to sow terror and confusion. The wounded I saw were: 1. Jose Serilho (18) who was grazed in the leg by a bullet. ******* says there is a real chance he could get gangrene as the bullet went through his trousers and may have left fragments of material in his leg.. 2. Paulina de Jesus (25). She was holding her month old baby when the attack occurred. She dived on the ground but one of the BMP slashed her across the left shoulder blade with a sword. She was bleeding profusely when I saw her but the doctors managed to stop it. 3. Manuel Caldeira (29) shot through the wrist. The bullet did some damage to the bone. Has to do an x-ray. 4. Jao de Silva Leixa (22) shot through the wrist. Also has to do an x-ray. All witnesses pointed out that this attack was unprovoked and that the attackers fired indiscriminsately. Some of the people in the clinic asked me when were the UN going to send in people to protect me. All I could say was that I hope it will be soon. Everybody I have talked too says it is imperative that the UN come soon, that there is an international presence, and that the paramilitaries are disarmed. Everubody says that security si the first priority. That should come frist and foremost on the international agenda My self and ***** went ot Los Palos last Tuseday and stayed until Friday. While there we met with the men in the mountains. They said they would be prepared to hand in their weapons once the conditions are right. These conditions include the withdrawal of the Indonesian military; the disarming of the paramilitaries; and an international presence on the ground in East Timor. Once these are met they said the conditions will be right for the vote and for any dialogue that is necessary between the people here . Then they will turn over their weapons to an international force. Many said they want nothing more than for the fighting to end but they will keep fighting as long as necesary. There are patramilitaries active in Los Palos called ALPHA which is working with the army and police according to **********. They have threatened him personally and have kidnapped local supporters of indendence whom they have beaten and threatened. We met one guy ( who wouldn't say his name who said he was kidnapped last Wednesday and held iover night in a house but was relesaded unharmed. He siad it was a frightening experience. ) The leader is the local Bupati Ermondo da Silva who we saw at mass on holy thrusday. On the same day we were taken to the hospital where we shown a young man who had been badly beaten by poice the day before. His name is Barito Cristao (30) from Fuiloro, about seven kms north of Los Palos. He and others from the village said that about 100 police entered the village on Wendesday, March 31 at about 4 pm. The young man was with group who were playing cards. The police questioned them for a minute asking them what they were doing and then, without warning, set on Barito beating him with rifle butts and pistols. His chest and sholders were badly bruised. He had a bad gash on his left side, and on the left side of his temple where he had also been hit with a rifle butt. He was in reeal pain and could hardly talk. In Los Palos there are only three doctors for 58,000 people. And medicines are in short supply. On gash on the left side gash somebody had put traditional herbs because there was nothing else. According to ****** and other people we talked to, events like these are common place. All the people with Barito in the hospital were, incidentally, independence supporters, as was everybody we talked to. The paramilitaries numer about 150-200 only in the whole region but their support from ABRI makes them a threat wasy out of proportion to their numbers. The military in Los Palos are keeping a low profile. We saw few out and around. Unlike Baucau which has a heay military presence-inlcuding heavily armed units on patrol-we saw few out of their barracks. Those we saw were not happy to see us. We got some stares that sent shivers through us. But the local people were friendly and happy to see us. After mass they came up and shook our hands We also managed to get ourselves threated by a clean cut Indonesian in a pickup truck with two pathetic looking Timorese. He told us we should be "careful." He spoke very good english, which leads to suspect that he was a member of KOPASSUS. They have a base right in the town beside the Wisma Wisata, the dive of a hostel where we suffered for three days. The caretaker is a bufo.(Mauhu) I am conviced of it. He looks a cross between a village romeo and a pimp. A very sinister character. We met a guy called ********* who lives near the hostel. He took us to ***** house where we met his brother ******* who is a dead ringer for **** but hardly says a word. The mother wasn't there; she was in Dili. We gave ***** the watch and letters. Anyway I have used the sutdents computer enough. I am hopoing to go to Suai tomorrow or Wednesday. A guty in Caritas contacted ******** there who keeps a close eye on things. Tlak to you soon. This is from April 6. Reported Massacre in Vatavau Greetings from Dili, Regarding what I sent you yesterday. Today there are reports that about 17 people may have died in Liquica yesterday. The CNRT sent people this morning to Vatuvau to find out what happened. But they will return until tomorrow. The area has been closed off-a bad sign in any situation. I met a welsh photographer who tried to go yesterday but was turned back by the military. The CNRT team has had to go across the countryside involving a walk for several miles. After Xanana's statement yesterday. There is an increased military buildup in Dili. The military are making their presence felt. Scores of military trucks with soldiers armed tot he teeth are flying around Dili. There is considerable activity in the barrack and military posts. In the Korem barracks up the road from CNRT, soldiers are in full battle dress and appear ready for something. The people in the CNRT are very nervous. They have closed their gates and have people out on the road keeping watch. Most people here are very supportive of Xanana's statement here about Falintil fighting the militias. If it does nothing else it will show that the militia's are nothing but a front for the military who did the killing yesterday in Vatavau. I have just received an updated list of the names and ages of the dead and wounded from Vatavau. They are as follows: 1. Tomas de Jesus (31) 2. Francisco de Jesus (no age given) 3. Jaime do Satos (20) 4. Manuel dos Santos (26) 5. Jose dos Soares (17) 6. Paulina de Jesus (22) 7. Jao da Silva Aleixo (20) 8. Manual Caldiera (27) As yet reports of the number of dead are unconfirmed. We should know more tomorrow. The students told me a friend of theirs called from Liquica and said that 20 people have disappeared. It is not known if they are dead or alive. After reports of the shooting come yesterday people in Dili were very nervous. Last night Becora went into a panic when rumours that Mehidi were in the area. At 8 pm the whole areas went completely quiet; people started banging pots and pans to warn of their presence. All the people in our house started panicking and turned out all the lights. WE went outside top see what's was happening. By then groups of young people were out armed with swords, bows and arrows and clubs waiting to see if they would come. The group was spontaneously formed local defence group. What had happened was that a group of strangers went to one of the houses across from us and began banging on the door calling out for of the young men inside. Those inside fled. That's when the panic set in. But the group quickly disappeared. We stayed out with them for about half an hour but there was no sign of the paramilitaries. But it showed how much fear these paramilitaries now generate among the populace. And it shows that people are starring from self-defence groups to defence themselves. I have to go to Suai tomorrow but ****** will keep an eye on events. I have arranged to meet ***** in Suai and talk to him about the situation there. Tom is still here and will be her until next Monday. I hope to be back on Saturday. Sarah is going to Bali on Thursday. Yours, JM ---------- SiaR WEBSITE: http://apchr.murdoch.edu.au/minihub/siarlist/maillist.html ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Didistribusikan tgl. 8 Apr 1999 jam 14:04:34 GMT+1 oleh: Indonesia Daily News Online <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> http://www.Indo-News.com/ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
