Campaign for an Independent East Timor (South Australia) Inc.
(Affiliated to the International Federation for East Timor, the East Timor
Relief Association, the Australian Coalition for a Free East Timor and the
Free Timor Campaign)
c/o Global Education Centre first floor 220 Victoria Square
ADELAIDE, SOUTH AUSTRALIA 5000
MEDIA STATEMENT: THURSDAY 10 MAY 2001
for immediate use
ALLEGED AUSTRALIAN COVER-UP OF TNI-PLANNED ATROCITIES IN TIMOR MUST BE
INVESTIGATED
The CIET (SA) Inc released the statement below through a spokesperson
following the release of yesterday's allegations by Australian Army Captain
Andrew Plunkett and Australian Federal Police Officer Wayne Sievers that
Australian officials had covered up information about an Indonesian planned
atrocity in the Maliana police station in September 1999.
Information Officer, Andrew Alcock said:
"The Campaign for an Independent East Timor congratulates Andrew Plunkett
and Wayne Sievers for having the courage to speak out about what they know
regarding the Indonesian military (TNI) plans to instigate a massacre in
Maliana if the East Timorese voted for independence in the August 1999
referendum.
This latest allegation reinforces what human rights, solidarity and aid
workers were saying from late 1998 that the TNI had a plan to step up its
genocide and destruction through militias if East Timor seceded from
Indonesia. Those who called on the Australian Government to cease all
military cooperation with Indonesia because of early reports of the arming
of militias were scorned and belittled by government leaders. Foreign
Minister, Alexander Downer, especially attacked such people as alarmists
and preferred to blame rogue elements in the Indonesian military.
A recent leak of a human rights report prepared for the Indonesian
Government strongly suggests that the so-called "rogue elements" included
many senior TNI officers ranging up to former defence minister General Wiranto.
During a meeting with Mr Downer approximately 6 weeks before INTERFET
forces went into East Timor, he told a CIET deputation that they were
irresponsible for requesting that the Australian Government call on the UN
to send peacekeepers. It appears that when he said this, Mr Downer had
been advised of the security situation.
The decision to give the TNI responsibility for maintaining the peace
during the referendum after its 24 year history of genocide and human
rights abuses was grossly irresponsible and led to the loss of at least
another 2000 East Timorese lives and the forced removal of more than
200,000 across the border around that time.
CIET notes that East Timor's independence is not fully assured and there is
much death and destruction in other parts of the region due to the criminal
actions of the TNI leadership [eg East Timor/West Timor border, West Papua,
Maluku (the Moluccas), West Kalimantan (part of Indonesian Borneo), Aceh etc].
These activities are directed at bringing down the present Indonesian
Government which is dedicated to democracy and respect for human rights,
but has little or no support from the military.
It is therefore impossible for President Wahid to take action against those
generals accused of war crimes in East Timor, West Papua and Indonesia. We
consider it disgraceful that western governments like the US, the UK,
Canada and Australia have resumed military cooperation which gives tacit
support to the destabilising actions of the TNI generals.
Western leaders like US President George Bush Jr and Australian Foreign
Minister Alexander Downer cause great problems for President Wahid and
those Indonesians who work for peace, justice and democracy when they
criticise them for the crimes of the TNI.
The Campaign calls on the UN and member nations for the following actions
to be undertaken to bring justice, peace and stability in the region:
To support the call by John Dowd of the International Commission of Jurists
to establish an international war crimes tribunal to try alleged TNI war
criminals
To stop all forms of military cooperation with the TNI
To keep their promises of aid, money and equipment to help rebuild East Timor
To cooperate with the Wahid Government and the Indonesian democracy
movement to explore ways of freeing the East Timorese hostages in West
Timor, restoring peace and stability in Indonesia and allowing the West
Papuans to have a UN-supervised act of self determination (which avoids the
mistakes made in East Timor)
Further, it calls on the Australian Government to instigate a full inquiry
into the role of its security and diplomatic services throughout the entire
period of the illegal Indonesian occupation of East Timor and its
involvement in West Papua".
For further information, contact:
Andrew (Andy) Alcock
Information Officer
Campaign for an Independent East Timor (SA) Inc
Phone: 61 8 83710480 (home)
61 8 82053200 (work)
Fax: 61 8 82236509
Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
--
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