PLEASE DISTRIBUTE URGENTLY!!
-----Original Message-----
From: Geoff Heard <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Date: Saturday, April 17, 1999 7:47 PM
Subject: The Killing in Dili
Uni�o Democr�tica Timorense
TIMORESE DEMOCRATIC UNION
MEDIA RELEASE
For immediate release: 7 pm AEST, Saturday 17 April 1999
URGENT�URGENT�URGENT�URGENT�URGENT�URGENT
"I can't leave here, Tia, I have to look after everyone." Minutes
later, 17 year old Manelito Carrascal�o chopped down as Indonesia's
extermination of pro-independence East Timorese begins.
Dili (Saturday, 17/4/99) -- Indonesian-backed militia groups chopped
people to death and left others seriously injured as they rampaged
through the Carrascal�o house in Dili at beginning of a campaign of
assassination of pro-independence leadership.
A short time ago, peace and reconciliation group leader, Manuel
Carrascal�o, reported that the militias firing automatic weapons
supplied by the Indonesian army, ABRI, had attacked his home, and
chopped to death scores of refugees, mainly women and children, who
were sheltering there. His 17 year old son, Manelito, family friend,
Cavaterra, a Portuguese who remained in Dili after the Indonesian
invasion, were both reported killed by several witnesses.
A later report said Manelito may have survived with very serious
wounds - and had been taken with several other seriously injured to
the military hospital. Notoriously few people come out of that
hospital after an attack like this.
Other witnesses reported that Indonesian soldiers moved into the
house and set fire to it after the militias had finished their grisly
work. It is feared the slaughter at the Carrascal�o house on Jalan
Rua Dr Antonio Carvalho is the beginning of an even bigger bloodbath
in Dili.
Young Manelito had stayed in the house to care for up to 140 refugees
from militia violence who have been sheltering there for the past
weeks while his father and sister, Chris, 19, went to confront the
police and the Indonesian military commander, Colonel Tono Suratnam.
Colonel Suratnam sent them away saying it was a Timorese argument and
ABRI was neutral. Mr Carrascal�o and Chris then went to the home of
the Bishop of Dili, Bishop Ximenes Belo, to warn him about what was
happening. The attack on the house came while Mr Carrascal�o and
Chris were still with the Bishop.
Only minutes before the attack, Manelito told his aunt in Melbourne
by phone that he had been advised to flee, but "I can't leave here,
Tia (Auntie), I have to look after everyone."
Neighbours report that an unknown number of refugees escaped as more
than 30 armed militia members from the the Besi Merah Putih, Aitarak,
and others, poured fire into the house then charged inside. The fate
of the others is not yet known. There were no arms in Carrascal�o
house.
MORE�
DILI ATTACK. NEW LEAD...2
Earlier, about one o'clock, the home of the CNRT Coordinator, Leandro
Isaak, was attacked, wrecked and burnt. His car was also burnt. The
militias also burned the house of Father Mariano Soares in Balide on
the outskirts of Dili. It is believed Father Mariano is safe.
The attacks came after a bizarre ceremony held by the militias, led
by Besi Merah Putih (Red and White Iron), outside the office of the
Governor, Abilio Soares, who is notoriously pro-Indonesian.
During the ceremony, the militias swore allegiance to Indonesia, and
swore that they would fight to the death to ensure East Timor
remained part of Indonesia.
The militias also swore to kill all pro-independence leaders,
boasting they have a death list of 370 people, including all those
from East Timor who attended the Strategic Planning Conference for an
independent East Timor in Melbourne last week.
They swore to kill Mario Carrascal�o, Manuel Carrascal�o's younger
brother, a former Governor of East Timor under Indonesia and now
President Habibie's special adviser on East Timor. They called Mario
Carrascal�o, who is at present in Jakarta, "the biggest traitor to
Indonesia".
The Australian Government was among those supporting the conference.
It is understood Australia supplied around $65,000 to assist it. The
attacks came less than a day after Bishop Belo had renewed his calls
for reconciliation and peace amongst East Timorese, calls which had
been backed by CNRT leader and Falintil (East Timorese resistance
fighter) commander, Xanana Gusm�o, in faxes to pro-independence
supporters in East Timor and around the world:
The beginning of the attacks came despite the presence in Dili of the
Irish Foreign Minister, Mr David Andrews, on a visit organised with
the assistance of the President of UDT (Timorese Democratic Union),
Jo�o Carrascal�o, who visited Ireland and conferred with Mr Andrews
last week. Mr Carrascal�o, now in Japan meeting with human rights
groups, said today the attacks were an absolute tragedy, with
Indonesia bearing total responsibility.
"Australia, Portugal, Ireland, the United States - every peace loving
nation. Act now to force Indonesia to stop the killing today and get
out of East Timor!
"The Australian Foreign Minister, Alexander Downer, and every other
apologist for East Timor has blood on their hands. Can we at last get
Mr Downer to admit that ABRI are murderers and the old, corrupt
monsters like General Wiranto and Ali Alatas are doing everything
they can to turn East Timor into a bloodbath for innocent, unarmed,
men women and children. "I'd like to remind Mr Downer of his words
when we met last month. I urged him to support a UN peacekeeping
force in East Timor, and he said there was no need for it. Now he is
saying it would not be appropriate because there is no peace. Mr
Downer, if you had acted when we warned you of the need, today's
slaughter might not have happened. Liqui�a might not have happened.
MORE�
DILI ATTACK. NEW LEAD�3
"Mr Downer, stiffen your spine and stop licking Indonesian boots.
Tell them to stop the violence now, disarm the militias and get out
of East Timor because they have demonstrated once and for all their
total incompetence to govern a East Timor, their total malevolence
towards East Timorese everywhere. "And make it stick, on pain of loss
of Australia's recognition of Indonesia's annexation of East Timor,
withdrawal of all Australian aid, the cancellation of the Timor Gap
treaty, and every other punishment Australian can inflict."
CALL THE MILITARY COMMANDER IN EAST TIMOR, COLONEL TONO SURATNAM.
ASK HIM WHAT HE IS DOING ABOUT IT. HIS NUMBERS ARE 0011 62 390 321
581 (home) 321 512 or 021 (office). THEN CALL ALEXANDER DOWNER AND
ASK HIM IF HE STILL BELIEVES THE LIARS IN JAKARTA, WIRANTO, ALATAS,
AND THE REST WHO WANT TO CRUSH THE EAST TIMORESE TO PROTECT THEIR
CORRUPT FORTUNES.
Issued on behalf of UDT by Geoffrey Heard & Associates
Melbourne, AUSTRALIA - % +61 3 9583 0788
Geoffrey Heard
GH&A Public Relations
Tel: +61 3 9583 0788
Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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