East Timor is now literally burning, with hundreds of thousands of people driven from their homes in the last few days, hundreds killed. The United Nations is pulling out of East Timor tonight (US time), which may be the prelude to an unfathomable slaughter of Timorese by Indonesian forces in the days to come. There is good reason to believe this can all be stopped, if the U.S. and the "international community" applies sufficient pressure. Among other things, this should mean a cut off of all funds to Indonesia from the World Bank and IMF. The Fund and Bank have both condemned the violence in East Timor, but this is easily brushed off by Indonesia. It is critical that both institutions immediately deliver forceful messages that funds will be cut off, indefinitely, unless the terror in Timor comes to an immediate end. Action on these matters is incredibly time sensitive, so please call right away. At the Bank, call World Bank President James Wolfensohn at 202-458-2907 (fax: 202-522-0355). Urge him to suspend financial assistance to Indonesia unless it complies immediately with UN demands to end the violence in East Timor. Also call the Executive Director for the United States to the World Bank, Ms. Jan Piercy at 202-458-0110 (fax: 202-477-2967). Ask that the U.S. demand the suspension of assistance to Indonesia. At the Fund, call 202-623-7000 and ask for Managing Director Michel Camdessus (fax: 202-623-4661). Urge him to suspend financial assistance to Indonesia unless it complies immediately with UN demands to end the violence in East Timor. Also call the U.S. representative to the IMF, Karin Lissakers, 202-623-7759 (fax: 202-623-4940). Again, ask that the U.S. demand the suspension of assistance to Indonesia. Please spread this alert widely. An alert from the East Timor Action Network follows below. Robert Weissman Essential Information | Internet: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ******************************************************************** East Timor Action Network (ETAN) URGENT ACTION ALERT U.S. Government Inaction Results in More Death as Wave After Wave of Violence Sweeps East Timor Call Today to Demand an End to the Killing. Your action can save lives! Less than 24 hours after the UN announced that more than 78% of registered voters in East Timor voted to reject Indonesia's autonomy package, Indonesian military and paramilitary forces sharply escalated their campaign of terror. All observers from the International Federation for East Timor Observer Project (IFET-OP) have been forced to evacuate East Timor due to rampant violence by both paramilitary forces and TNI (Indonesian military forces), including the Kopassus Special Forces, known for its atrocious human rights abuses. Dili is burning; the streets are deserted and refugees are amassing in churches and other relief centers. Many children are among the dead. Paramilitary forces roam the streets of Dili unimpeded, while joint militia/army roadblocks block entrance to and exit from the capitol. The paramilitaries and TNI are systematically targeting buildings which house refugees. With the evacuation of UN staff and media from outlying towns, foreign observers are unable to confirm the extent of violence outside Dili, but it is believed to be severe. Hundreds of houses have been burned and dozens killed in Maliana alone. Reports have come in of mutilated bodies littering the road to West Timor. Thousands more East Timorese are now refugees, many of them forced onto trucks headed for unknown destinations. TNI must withdraw immediately from East Timor. The U.S. must offer full support for increased UN personnel and an expanded UN mission mandate. The UN must be granted control of administration and security in East Timor. The U.S. must cut off all military and financial assistance immediately! ** CALL Defense Secretary William Cohen at 703-692-7100 (fax: 703-697-9080). Demand that the United States cut off all remaining military aid to Indonesia until it removes its troops from East Timor and disbands the paramilitary groups roaming the streets. ** CALL World Bank President James Wolfensohn at 202-458-2907 (fax: 202-522-0355). Urge him to suspend financial assistance to Indonesia unless it complies immediately with UN demands to end the violence in East Timor. Also call the Executive Director for the United States to the World Bank, Ms. Jan Piercy at 202-458-0110 (fax: 202-477-2967). Demand that the U.S. support the suspension of assistance to Indonesia. ** CALL your senators and representative. Urge them to call Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, President Clinton, and Secretary of Defense William Cohen directly. The Congressional switchboard number is 202-224-3121 or check http://www.congress.gov for contact information on individual offices. ** CALL Assistant Secretary of State Stanley Roth at 202-647-9596. Don't let the staff transfer you to the Indonesia desk. You want this message to reach Roth himself. The Indonesia desk officers are already doing what they can. For more information, contact Karen at the New York ETAN office at 914-428-7299 or [EMAIL PROTECTED], or Brad Simpson at IFET at 773-255-7949. ------------------------------- Robert Naiman <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Preamble Center 1737 21st NW Washington, DC 20009 phone: 202-265-3263 x277 fax: 202-265-3647 http://www.preamble.org/ -------------------------------
