Henry
Doug Henwood wrote:
> Times (London) - April 19 1999 FAR EAST
>
> Death toll rises as militia seize Timor's capital
>
> FROM PATRICIA NUNAN IN JAKARTA AND DAVID WATTS
>
> ARMED pro-Indonesian militiamen were in control of the East Timorese
> capital of Dili last night after a weekend of terror in which a loyalist
> leader called for the "cleansing" of all those in favour of independence
> from Indonesia.
>
> The weekend of brutality left at least 30 people dead, although the army
> maintained the total was 12. Witnesses said that militiamen were roaming
> the streets unchecked by security forces.
>
> "The militiamen are controlling most of Dili," an aid worker told The Times
> by mobile telephone as a cordon surrounded the home of Manuel Carascalao, a
> pro-independence activist whose 18-year-old son and eight others died when
> his house was attacked and burnt on Saturday.
>
> The majority of the 30 victims suffered gunshot wounds, according to the
> aid worker, indicating that the attackers had access to army weapons.
>
> "The army moves in behind the militia, chats to them and shortly after that
> leaves them to do their business. The army is clearly in control of
> things," the aid worker said.
>
> The violence began on Saturday after two militia groups, "Red and White
> Iron" and "Thorn" gathered in front of the Governor's residence to hold a
> rally to publicise their belief that the majority of East Timorese want the
> territory to remain part of Indonesia.
>
> Eurico Guetteres, leader of the Thorn militia, told the crowd: "I command
> all pro-integrationist militia to conduct a cleansing of all those who
> betrayed integration. Capture and kill if you need."
>
> After the rally the groups began attacking the homes of pro-independence
> leaders.
>
> David Andrews, the Irish Foreign Minister, was in a meeting with the
> Indonesian military commander for East Timor, when Mr Carascalao arrived to
> tell the commander that 150 militia members were attacking his home, in
> which 150 refugees had taken shelter.
>
> "It was an extraordinarily tense situation," Mr Andrews said. "Clearly the
> military were aware of everything going on and didn't do anything to
> intervene."
> Shootings continued in areas outside the capital yesterday and the
> militiamen set about terrorising the media and aid workers into leaving the
> island. A BBC correspondent was threatened.
>
> Later this week Ali Alatas, the Indonesian Foreign Minister, will meet his
> Portuguese counterpart in New York to discuss the July ballot of the East
> Timorese people which is to ascertain whether they desire enhanced autonomy
> under Indonesian rule or full independence.