Precedence: bulk Conselho National da Resistencia Maubere (National Council of Timorese Resistance) CNRT Press Release 18 April 1999 EAST TIMORESE DEMONSTRATION IN CANBERRA The para-military militias armed by Indonesian troops (ABRI), are terrorising people in the capital Dili and in some villages across East Timor. In the last 24 hours the Indonesian para-military militias, armed with gunfire and other weapons parade Dili streets ran-sacking and setting fire to houses in Dili, the capital of East Timor. There are report that people are being beaten and killed by the pro-Indonesian militias in Dili other parts of East Timor. Despite Jakarta's denial of any involvement in arming the militias and General Wiranto assertion of ABRI commitment to stop them, the Indonesian troops in the territory appeared to be unmoved and show no willingness to disarm the pro-Indonesian militias. Thus, East Timorese civilians are being constantly assaulted and killed by the militias with complicity of Indonesian armed forces. Catholic priests have been recently assaulted and churches, like that in Liquica, are turned into killing fields by the Indonesian militias. The current state of affair in the territory shows a clear lack of commitment from the Government of Indonesian to resolve the conflict of East Timor in an orderly manner. The expected neutrality of Indonesian troops in the territory can no longer be trusted. Thus, the United Nations consultation, scheduled for July this year, in which the East Timorese will have to vote on the so called Autonomy package is now in serious doubt if not impossible. The East Timorese community are deeply concerned over the current situation and call upon the international community and in particular the Federal Government of Australia to take a firm action in persuading: Indonesia to; - immediately disarm the para-military groups, - withdraw its troops from the territory, - unconditionally release all political prisoners including Xanana Gusmao, - allow access to the territory by NGOs and independent observers and - respect the immunity of the two East Timorese diocese, as they are directly dependent on Vatican. United Nations to; - immediately send peace-keeping forces to East Timor, - directly involve the East Timorese resistance representative, led by Xanana Gusmao in the negotiation between Portugal and Indonesia, under the auspices of the Secretary General of UN and - set up a transitional administration and implement a referendum for East Timorese people to decide the future statute of the territory. The East Timorese community will stage on 19 April a public protest in Canberra, in front of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Traid (DFAT) and Indonesian Embassy at 11:30 AM and 1:00 PM respectively. For more information contact Estanislau da Silva on 0414 427259, Agio Pereira on 0417 226511 or Filomeno de Andrade on 0412 686250 ---------- SiaR WEBSITE: http://apchr.murdoch.edu.au/minihub/siarlist/maillist.html
