CNRT National Council for Timorese Resistance MEDIA RELEASE For immediate release: 1130 AustralianEST, Wednesday 8 September 1999
"The international community must intervene immediately...or there will be no East Timor."
STATEMENT BY: Jo Carrascal Head of CNRT in Australia President of UDT (Timorese Democratic Union)
The Field Commander of Falintil, Taun Matan Ruak, called today from his base in the mountains of East Timor. He made an impassioned plea for help and detailed further atrocities committed by the Indonesian military machine as it continues its genocide and ethnic cleansing program. Taun Matan Ruak said: "The international community must intervene urgently in East Timor -- or tomorrow there will be no Timor to save. "I call on Timorese everywhere to mobilise to press in every way they can for international intervention." Taun Matan Ruak made a special appeal to Australia: "Our thanks to you for what you are doing. But we need more help. Do not forget, Australia, that we were there to help when Australia needed us, dying in these very mountains to save Australian troops." The situation in Dili: "It is chaotic. People are fleeing to the mountains, being arrested, killed and forced on to trucks to go to West Timor. "Some East Timorese in the police force have been murdered, some have fled to the mountains to join us. "Indonesia is disarming Battalion 744 (an East Timorese territorial battalion); the Indonesians do not trust them." The situation in the Districts: Suai: "The Indonesians attacked and destroyed the church at Suai yesterday. Of 2000 people taking refuge there, they will 100-200, including two priests and two nuns." Ermera: "They attacked the church. All the priest and nuns and everyone sheltering there fled to a hiding place and are safe at present. Commander Ular (the local Falintil commander) says they are seeking safety in the mountains." Manatuto: "The church was attacked. Father Domingos and the people sheltering there escaped to the mountains. Father Eduardo and another group are also on their way into the mountains. Laleia, Ossu and Venilale: "Some residents and some local armed people got away from the military. We are trying to find them to stop them sacrificing themselves in a hopeless local fight back. That is going to be difficult; they are very determined people." The situation in the mountains: "There are tens of thousands of refugees in the mountains now; they are in a terrible situation. "They are hungry, thirsty, sick and in abject misery. "The roads are blocked, food is very short already. "We are hungry, but we are doing everything we can to save our people."