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- From: rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu (Rich Winkel)
- Subject: AI: EAST TIMOR Arrests
- Message-ID: <1992Dec19.091056.14160@mont.cs.missouri.edu>
- Followup-To: alt.activism.d
- Originator: rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu
- Sender: news@mont.cs.missouri.edu
- Nntp-Posting-Host: pencil.cs.missouri.edu
- Organization: PACH
- Date: Sat, 19 Dec 1992 09:10:56 GMT
- Approved: map@pencil.cs.missouri.edu
- Lines: 168
-
- /** reg.easttimor: 362.0 **/
- ** Topic: AI UA403/92 EAST TIMOR Arrests **
- ** Written 7:44 pm Dec 18, 1992 by gn:rmitchellai in cdp:reg.easttimor **
- Subject: AI UA403/92 EAST TIMOR Arrests
-
- /* Written 7:43 pm Dec 18, 1992 by rmitchellai in gn:ai.uan */
- /* ---------- "AI UA403/92 EAST TIMOR Arrests" ---------- */
- EXTERNAL (for general distribution) AI Index: ASA 21/25/92
- Distr: UA/SC
-
- UA 403/92 Legal concern/ 18 December 1992
- Fear of torture
-
- INDONESIA/EAST TIMOR:
-
- Arrested in Manatuto:
-
- Apisa (35), policeman, arrested 15 November
- Candido (29), Head of Agriculture Office, Manatuto, arrested 14
- November
- Eduardo (30), businessman, arrested 14 November
- Felipe (30), hospital administrator, Manatuto, arrested 14 November
- Geraldo (28), businessman, arrested 14 November
- Joao (45), village head of Kai Rui, arrested 13 November
- Joao Faria (30), civil servant, arrested 14 November
- Kancio (50), businessman, arrested 15 November
- Manuel Constancio (27), civil servant, arrested 13 November
- Manuel de Costa (45), civil servant, arrested 14 November
- Mario Santa (33), civil servant, arrested 14 November
- Serilo (27), civil servant, arrested 15 November
- Tomas de Rosario Cabral (25), civil servant, arrested 5 December
- Vicente (50), nurse, Manatuto hospital, arrested 14 November
- Vitor (50), nurse, Manatuto hospital, arrested 11 November
-
- Arrested in Dili:
-
- Arnaldo Borges (17) arrested October
- Constancio Guterres (37), Armed Forces member, arrested 22
- November
- Leandro Isaac (45) and
- Manuel Isaac (42), brothers, civil servants, arrested 22 November
- Manuel Mercario (47), nurse, arrested 22 November
- Maria Lourdes Alves Araujo (female), (36) and her husband
- Octavio Jordao de Araujo (42), arrested 18 December
-
- Arrested in Same:
-
- Elsa (female), arrested 15 November
- Graciana (female), arrested 15 November
- Luis, arrested 15 November
-
- Amnesty International is urgently concerned for the safety of the 25
- people named above. Those arrested are among at least 60, and
- possibly many more, people arrested in East Timor since early
- November 1992. The 25 were reportedly arrested in Manatuto and
- Same districts and in East Timor's capital, Dili. The precise
- whereabouts of the 25 are not known, but they are believed to be
- detained in military detention centres in the towns of Baucau, Same
- and Dili. Those arrested are at risk of torture and ill- treatment by the
- Indonesian security forces. There have also been unconfirmed reports
- that 17 relatives of Constancio Pinto, an East Timorese activist now
- living in Portugal, were arrested on 25 November 1992 in Dili and
- there are fears they too may be at risk of torture.
-
- Serious human rights violations, including arbitrary arrest, torture,
- "disappearance" and possible extrajudicial execution, have accompanied
- a recent crackdown by Indonesian forces in East Timor. The increased
- repression has coincided with the anniversary of the November 1991
- Santa Cruz massacre and the 20 November capture of Xanana
- Gusmao, leader of the East Timorese resistance movement (see UA
- 366/92, ASA 21/17/92 of 23 November 1992 and UA 367/92, ASA
- 21/18/92 of 23 November 1992 and follow ups). The crackdown has
- been particularly severe in Manatuto, Xanana's home district, in Dili
- and in the districts of Lospalos, and Viqueque.
-
- Hundreds of people were reportedly rounded up in mid-November and
- dozens are thought to remain in detention, most of them held
- incommunicado. At least one of those arrested after Xanana's capture
- is feared to have died as a result of torture. In December, residents of
- East Timor appealed to Amnesty International to publish the names of
- those arrested in order to protect them and their families from further
- human rights violations by the Indonesian security forces.
-
- BACKGROUND INFORMATION
-
- Indonesian forces invaded East Timor in 1975 in the aftermath of
- Portugal's withdrawal from its former colony. Since that time Amnesty
- International has continued to document serious human rights
- violations by Indonesian security forces in the territory, including
- extrajudicial execution, torture and ill-treatment, "disappearance" and
- political imprisonment.
-
- In November 1991 more than 100 people were killed, and many others
- "disappeared", after Indonesian soldiers opened fire on a peaceful
- procession at the Santa Cruz cemetery in Dili. The human rights
- situation has not improved in the year since the massacre. Hundreds of
- people have been subjected to death threats, beatings and arbitrary
- arrest and at least 13 East Timorese have been sentenced, at unfair
- trials, to long terms of imprisonment after being accused of organizing
- the Santa Cruz procession and other peaceful protest marches.
-
- RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send
- telegrams/telexes/faxes/express and airmail letters either in English or
- in your own language:
-
- - expressing concern for the safety of the 25 people named above
- arrested between October and December 1992 in East Timor and
- seeking clarification of their whereabouts;
-
- - urging that representatives of the International Committee of the
- Red Cross (ICRC), lawyers, relatives and doctors be granted
- immediate an unconditional access to their place of detention;
-
- - seeking assurances that all the detainees will be accompanied by a
- lawyer of their own choice while being interrogated, as required by
- Indonesian law;
-
- - urging the government to release immediately and unconditionally all
- those detained solely for their peaceful political views or activities.
-
- APPEALS TO
-
- Brig Gen Theo Syafei [Salutation: Dear Brig Gen Syafei]
- PANKOLAKOPS
- Markas Besar KOLAKOPS/KOREM 164
- Dili, East Timor
- Indonesia
- Telegrams Brig Gen Syafei, Dili, East Timor
-
- Maj Gen Suwardi [Salutation: Dear Maj Gen Suwardi]
- Markas Besar, KODAM IX/Udayana,
- Denpasar
- Bali, Indonesia
- Telegrams: Maj Gen Suwardi, Kodam IX, Denpasar, Bali,
-
- General Try Sutrisno [Salutation: Dear General Try]
- Commander of the Armed Forces
- Markas Besar ABRI
- Cilangkap, East Jakarta
- Indonesia
- Telegrams: Gen Try Sutrisno, Markas Besar ABRI, Jakarta, Indonesia
- Faxes: + 62 21 36 1471 (Armed Forces HQ);
- + 62 21 37 8144 (Army HQ);
- + 62 21 35 6404
-
- Ali Alatas [Salutation: Dear Minister Alatas]
- Minister of Foreign Affairs
- Kementerian Luar Negeri
- Jl. Taman Pejambon 6
- Jakarta
- Indonesia
- Telegrams: Minister Foreign Affairs, Jakarta, Indonesia
- Faxes: +62 21 36 7781
- +62 21 36 7782
-
- PLEASE SEND COPIES OF YOUR APPEALS TO:
-
- Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (LBH)
- Jl. Diponegoro 74
- Jakarta 10320
- Indonesia
-
- and to the diplomatic representative in your country - please see the
- responses to this topic for details.
-
- PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY. Please do not send
- appeals after 29 January 1993.
- ** End of text from cdp:reg.easttimor **
-