Timor link, no. 22, February 1992
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Massacre highlights Timorese plight
East Timor became world news in November when Indonesian troops fired on a funeral procession at the Santa Cruz cemetery, Dill, the territory's capital, killing up to 200 people. The incident tragically highlighted an injustice long ignored by much of the international community. The massacre followed a period of mounting tension in the former Portuguese colony, illegally occupied by Indonesia since 1975, with reports pointing to an escalating campaign of York radio station WBAI were in East Timor 'I turned around - tremendous amount Indonesian repression in the run-up to to report on alleged human rights abuses, of gun fire -- and there were dozens of a planned delegation of Portuguese and were badly beaten by troops while the people lying in the streets. ' parliamentarians in November. The shooting was going on. Bob Muntz, South East Asia project officer delegation was called off on 24 October According to Nairn: 'It was ... a planned with Australia's Community Aid Abroad, after Portuguese concern at Indonesia's and systematic massacre .... This was not a was also present and managed to escape. attempts to control and manipulate the situation where you had some hothead who On return to Melbourne he told a press visit. ran amok .... ' As the people saw the troops, conference: 'It was a case of sustained This issue of Timor Link looks at the he said, 'they tried to shrink back. There automatic weapon fire from many, many varying accounts of the Santa Cruz was a small collective gasp in the crowd. guns for a full two minutes into a crowded massacre and the background to it, As the soldiers turned the corner they raised street that had almost a thousand people in focusing on its international their M16s and began all at once firing into it with no possibility of cover ... repercussions. the crowd .... 'For all the time I was at the rally ... I 'Amy and I went out and stood between observed an orderly crowd of people The Santa Cruz massacre on 12 November the soldiers and the crowd because if they enthusiastically chanting their slogans, came after a memorial mass for Sebastiao saw foreigners there with cameras with tape displaying their banners, but doing nothing Gomes, a youth shot dead by troops in an recorders they wouldn't shoot. That didn't that could be described as provocative incident at Motael Church on 28 October. work.' towards the Indonesians .. . As the mourners approached the Santa Cruz Amy Goodman added: 'There was 'There was no doubt that the attack was cemetery to place flowers on his grave, absolutely no warning .... I couldn't believe premeditated, unprovoked and well soldiers appeared and opened fire on the they would fire on this crowd - kids who planned .. .. I can say categorically that the procession. Among those killed was New were five years old .. .. These were truly claims of the Indonesian forces are nothing Zealander Kamal Bamadhaj. defenceless people. They had nothing but but lies designed to cover up the most The tragedy has caused international some banners ... and the commemorative appalling atrocity that has been perpetrated outrage, the more so as it was witnessed by cloth that they had for this young man, on the people of Timor for many years'. several foreign visitors who have been able Sebastiao, and they just kept shooting. British cameraman Max Stahl, of to publicise their testimonies. Below we 'With us they beat us into a corner and, Yorkshire Television, whose film revealed contrast their eye-witness accounts with the sitting on the ground, the only thing we the truth of the massacre, wrote a graphic official claims of the Indonesian military. could say was "Please, we're from account of the event in the Independent on America. ".. . I kept thinking that the guns Sunday on 17 November. Like the other Foreign accounts pointed on us.. . were also from America eye-witnesses, he emphasised the peaceful US journalists Allan Nairn of the New Yorker because the United States provides weapons nature of the march and the brutality of the magazine and Amy Goodman of the New for the Indonesian army. military's assault: '. .. there was no riot. There - 1 INSIDE THIS • Portuguese suspend v1s1t - p.3 • Outrage sweeps Australia - p.6 • Foreign bishops rally - p.7 ISSUE • International reactions - p.4-5 • Church under pressure - p.7 • Life of fear - p.8 , NEWS
was a procession. a demonstration of Institute) graduates. that 'these despicable Referring to 'soldiers without any exceptionalh· good order. e\·en good people [pro-independence demonstrato rs) command control' and 'exercising self humour, despite the fear of the panicipants. must be sho t'. defence', the report describes the All the provocation the military needed \\'as On 9 December, as an official Indonesian 'provocati ve savagery' of the demonstrators in the pro-independence h ;:mners and comm1ss1on of inquiry began its whom, it alleges, were forced to attend the slogans of the demonstrators. and in their investigati on of the events of 12 November, demonstration. It disowns the accounts of temerity in demonstrating at :.111' . Try was equally candid: 'Once the atrocities committed after the massacre. Arrested and detained by the police after investigation is accomplished, we will wipe Western governments appear to have burying his film in the graveyard, Stahl was out all separatist elements who have tainted generally welcomed the inquiry's findings. held for nine hours. '\\'hy, I asked had they the government's dignity.' The US State Department said that the carried out this barbarous killing. Why did commission 'appears to have taken a serious they need guns :.1t all when the and responsible approach', while the demonstrators had non6" Official inquiry Australian foreign minister, Gareth Evans, As Timar Link went to press, Indonesia agreed with its estimates of the death toll. Indonesia's claims released its preliminary report on the But Amnesty International has expressed Head of the Indonesian armed fo rces, massacre. It contradicted army claims that serious doubts about the credibility of the General Try Sutrisno, initiall y put the death only 19 people had died, upping the figure report and called for an independent United toll at about 50 with 20 wounded and denied to 50 dead and 90 disappeared. Nations inquiry. that any fo reigners were among the victims. Blaming separatists for the army shooting, the general claimed that 'hand grenades, guns and knives' had been seized and that the crowd which left Motael church had been 'yelling hysterically, pelting shops and a police post. ' 'The security forces,' he went on, 'tried hut failed to impose order through Chronology of events sympatheti c and persuasive means .... The mass was so brutal that it led to victims. The deputy commander of military sector 700, Major Gerhan Lantara, was stabbed and the 21 October: Bishop Belo, Apostolic 23-25 November: Reports from East situation became more chaotic. Preventative Administrator of Dili diocese, speaks on Timor tell of an atmosphere of terror acti ons were first taken ... unril finally the Portuguese radio of his fears for the worse than at any time since the 1975 situati on had to be restored .... ' safety of the Timorese as the date for the Indonesian invasion. Bishop Belo pleads Try accused the Catholic Church of Portuguese parliamentary delegation to for help. Virtually all phone links with instigating the protest, adding that the East Timor approaches. the outside world are cut off. church, as a place of sanctity, 'should not be misused to create disorder.· 25 October: Portuguese delegation The military mocks the threat of US According to Reuters, Majo r General ·suspended' after Indonesia vetoes an pressure, pointing to Washington's Sintong Panjaitan, the regional commander, Australian journalist, Jill Jol1iffe, chosen failure to follow up expressions of told the Indonesian media: 'The authorities by the parliamentarians as a member of concern at the 1989 Tiananmen Square will never he in any doubt about taking the foreign press team. Reports of rising massacre in China with concrete action. tough acti on against any kind of abuse of tension in Dili . It claims the massacre will soon be our persuasive approach. The only order is: 28 October: Motael church incident in forgotten and threatens to kill all East to kill or to be killed.' which a youth, Sebastiao Gomes is shot Timorese youth. On 14 November official Indonesian army dead. Alfonso Henrique, an informer of Widespread threats against the Catholic fi gures for the death toll were revised 1 the Intel secret police, is stabbed to Church throughout Indonesia. The downwards to 19 dead and 91 injured . death. Vatican maintains a cautious silence, General Try, while regretting the incident, Tension continues to rise in early worried at the position of the church in said that 'it must be realised that they November as repression continues. a predominantly Muslim country. [fighters against Indonesian rule] are brutal. ' He said an investigation would be held, but 12 November: Massacre at the Santa 27 November: Reports received from stated that the affair was a domestic Cruz Cemetery, Dili, where over 100 East Timar that Indonesia is killing concern. 'We hope that foreign countries mourners of Sebastiao Gomes are shot people every day. Hope expressed that will nor meddle in the internal affairs of dead by the Indonesian military. 'if the United States tells the Indonesians to stop, the rest of the world will follow'. Indonesia because this involves the In the following days and weeks, sovereignty of Indonesia.· governments around the world demand 9 December: Arrests continue with the Also announcing an investigation, the an explanation from Indonesia. church under massive Indonesian foreign minister, Ali Alatas, said that those Embarrassed foreign minister Alatas pressure. Church contacts say responsible for the shooting would be flounders, as the Indonesian army international pressure has nevertheless punished 'according to the law ·. 'This [the attempts to justify its actions. helped and that US pressure, in shooting] is not something which the 16 November: Reports of a second particular, has reduced the number of government has ordered or condoned.· killings that week. Brigadier Rudolf Warouw, the East Timor massacre in Bernos, East Timor, of up to military commander, explained the shooting 80 witnesses of the Santa Cruz massacre. 19 December: The Indonesian Bishops as 'a misunderstanding by the soldiers' who 19 November: 70 people arrested in the Conference calls for clemency for shot 'because of the tension'. He admitted Indonesian capital Jakarta during a Timorese demonstrators under arrest and bis men \Vere at fault and said the dead had peaceful demonstration against the Santa facing the death penalty on charges of bee n buried immediately in unmarked Cruz killings. Three weeks later 21 were subversion in connection with the Dili graves in a deserted cemetery on the still detained incommunicado; Amnesty demonstration. outskirts of Dili. He also confirmed that International expresses concern for their 27 December: Official Indonesian Kamal Bamadhaj \Yas among the dead. safety. inquiry makes public its findings. Despite expressions of regret, however, General Try was also quoted in the Jakarta daily jayakarta of 14 November as saying, at a meeting of Lemhanas (National Defence
2 INTERNATIONAL Hopes das EAST TIMOR: as Portugal A forgotten issue suspends delegation
East Timor's hopes for an internationally-backed path to independence were dealt a severe blow Timar, area 7,400 square miles, is one of the state with radical policies and continued to on 24 October when a Portuguese easternmost islands of the Indonesian threaten East Timor, despite previous parliamentary delegation, due to begin archipelago and lies 300 miles north of assurances that Jakarta would respect the an 11-day mission on 4 November, was Australia, its nearest neigbour. The western right of the East Timorese to independence. forced to suspend its visit. part of the island formerly a Dutch colony, In September 1975 Indonesia closed West Portugal, the former colonial ruler belongs to Indonesia , whereas East Timor Timor to journalists and on 7 December it of East Timor, is still considered the was fo r more than 400 years a Portuguese launched a fu ll -scale invasion of East Timor 'administering power' by the United colony. with the knowledge of the United States and Nations and the delegation's imminent In 1974 Portugal decolonised East Timor the encouragement of Australia. East Timar arrival had led to growing optimism and the territory's newly fo rmed political was proclaimed the '27th province' of that it might be the first step towards a parties began discussing options for the Indonesia. peaceful settlement. This article, future federation with Portugal, The invasion and annexation of East written by KIRSlY SWORD, a independence, or integration with Timor has been brutal: up to 200,000 researcher who recently visited East Indo nesia. people, a third of the population, have died Timor, looks at the fear and excitement The Timorese Democratic Union (UDT) as a result of Indonesian rule. But the generated by the cancelled Portuguese initially favoured the first option but then majority of Timorese have not accepted visit. joined a coalition with the nationalist subjugation; Indonesia has been unable to liberation movement Fretil in to demand eliminate the desire of the East Timorese for 'We are hoping for great things from this independence and call for a rejection of self-determination and an armed resistance parl iamentary visit.. .. We are currently colonialism and racial discrimination. A movement still remains in the hills, albeit in preparing to appeal to the Portuguese third party, Apodeti , with a small political dwindling numbers. government to return to Timar and to take base in the country, was used as a vehicle on its responsibilities. We have faith that for Indonesian propaganda and pressure in Although the invasion has been Portugal will accept our invitation because favour of integration. condemned by successive United Nations Timor is the last of its sons. If the Portuguese On 11 August 1975 the UDT staged a resolutions, the internati onal community go back after this visit and wash their hands coup to pre-empt Indonesian threats to has done little or nothing to implement of their national responsibilities, we will all intervene if Fretilin came to power. In the them, given the major economic and be exterm inated. We will remain here, ensuing civil war 1,500 people lost their geopolitical interests of the United States, helpless and without any protection lives. By September 1975, however, Fretilin Japan and particularly Australia in the whatsoever. ' was in control of virtuall y all of Portuguese region. Indonesia's crucial strategic location These words of an East Timorese student, Timor, fo llowing defection of Timorese and regional status - it has the world's fifth spoken in September 1991, summed up the colonial troops to the liberation movement's largest population and large reserves of oil expectati on surrounding the Portuguese side. and other natural resources - have all delegation and pointed to the anguish felt Indonesia, like the United States, was encouraged the world powers to downplay at its last-minute suspension. worried by the proximity of an independent East Timor's agony. When I visited East Timor in July 1990 the hopes of the East Timorese for independence had risen high by the prospect of the delegation. During my week's visit, I was frequently approached by people of all ages and asked about the likelihood of the visit taking place. At that ./JATAURO time no date or terms had yet been agreed (.JM au meta W ETAR ST RAIT t:astTIDIOf by either Portugal or Indonesia. When I returned in September 1991 the same anticipation was evident everywhere I went, only this time there was no doubt in anyone's mind that the delegation would go ahead as planned. At the same time, however, the Indonesian authorities began a campaign of repression and intimidati on to silence the local population . Entire villages were affected and civil servants, students and teachers, in particular, were threatened w ith the loss of their jobs, if not their li ves, if they expressed WESTTIMOR (Indonesia I their political aspirations to the delegation. A man in Ossu told us of an incident in O 10 20 30 40km Nahareka village on 18 September when the Indonesian Battalion 406 threatened to kill every local between the ages of 10 and 45.
3 INTERNATIONAL
The repn::ssion led Bishop Ca rlos Belo, mission. Indonesia claimed that Lisbon Views of the suspension varied both in the Apostolic Administrator, and East hasecl Australian journalist Jill Jolliffe was a East Timor and abroad. For the Timorese, Timorese resistance leader Xanana Gusmao pro-independence activist and that her unable to obtain balanced reporting of the to ell\ for an international peace-keeping articles \You ld be biased. reasons for the suspension, Portugal's force to he installed during and after the But according to a joint protocol agreed insistence that the visit should not go ahead visit. Their appeal for foreign support led hy Portugal and Indonesia under UN while the veto on Jill Jolliffe remained was 6·1 bishops from around the world to send auspices on the terms of the delegation's seen as a shattering betrayal. This was also a lettt:r to the United Na tions secretary \·isit, neither party was at liberty to influence the view of some East Timor watchers general, _l;1Yie r Perez de Cue ll ar, on 2-t the composition of media contingents. further afield . Others, however, including October (see 'Foreign bishops', p.7). In the fo ll owing days it became clear the some Portuguese government officials, felt Fears for the safl:'ty of the Timorese Indonesian government was seeking to that the parliamentary visit should be people \Yt:re certainly a factor in the manipulate logisti cal arrangements in an completely shelved and energies re decision of the Portuguese delegation to effort to control the delegation's freedom channell ed into a new Portuguese suspend it s \·isit. of movement, thus threatening its ability to diplomatic offensive through the UN. investigate and the independence of its In an interview with the Portuguese Background findings. Foreign television teams, for newspaper 0Publicoof7 November, armed In 1983 the UN General Assemhly requested example, would have to transmit their resistance leader Xanana Gusmao the secretary-gene ral to secure a settlement footage via Jakarta and Indonesia had also announced his movement's intention to of the East Timor issue and since then insisted that the delegation should arrive in continue the fight against Indonesian Portugal had been negotiating with the East Timor in an Indonesian aiiways occupation, despite being 'stunned' by the Jakarta government for access to the aeroplane, instead of the Thai ai rcraft news of the delegation's suspension. 'We country. Negoti ations over the Portuguese preferred by the Portuguese. increasingly get the feeling that the solution parliamentary delegation, sponsored by the should be found only by ourselves.' UN, began three years ago and proved Reactions Student activists in Baucau echoed these problematic, given the differing interests of Given East Timor's long-enforced isolation, sentiments in a Yorkshire Television the various parties concerned. news of the suspension was slow in interview in November: 'If the delegation As the first official Portuguese visit since reaching the people and it came via the doesn't come, we will continue to fight. We Ponugal's hasty withdrawal from the Indonesian media. Indonesian foreign are prepared to die for a just cause. We'll territo1y 16 years ago, the delegati on had minister, Ali Alatas, denied that the veto on fi ght on, but people like you and your been seen by the East Timorese as an Jill Jolliffe was an Indonesian attempt to [British] government will have to help us important landmark in their struggle for 'complicate the visit' and expressed doubt because we have neither the power nor the independence and as a step towards a as to the good will of the Portuguese weapons of the Indonesians'. solution of the prolonged dispute by the parliament towards the people of Lisbon's The consequences of the delegation's international community. former colony. suspension have indeed been explosive. J1kana, on the other hand, confident that repression and the economic interests of its major Western trading pa1tners would allow the status quo in Indonesia's '27th province' Media evidence fuels to he maintained, saw the visit as a means of gaining international recognition fo r Indonesian control. With this aim in mind, international reaction in March 1988 the Jakarta government invited a Portuguese delegation to visit Indonesia and East Timor. With teams of foreign journalists an internationally-supervised investigation present in East Timor for the and access to the territory for humanitarian But it w~1s not until July 1989 that :1 decision to send :1 delegation was finall y Portuguese parliamentary delegation, non-governmental organisations; and to made and over two years of negotiations it has been impossible for the monitor human rights developments so as on the terms and protocol of the visit international community to ignore the to prevent further bloodshed. fo ll owed . Between.July and September 1991 Santa Cruz massacre. It was Yorkshire It added that Amnesty International had Indonesian and Portuguesl:' government Television footage, shown widely on warned the international community in representati\·es met in New York under the prime-time television in Europe and the August of continuing human rights auspices of the UN secreta1y-general and United States, which provided the violations in East Tima r, including on l8 Septembe r the dates of 27 September world with the horrific evidence, allegations of at least 30 extra-judicial and 2K October \Yere fixed respectively as casting major doubt on the Indonesian killings by the Indonesian security forces in a pro\·isional timetable for the departure of version of events. This article gives a 1990 and early 1991. an adYance UN advance mission and the round-up of the international reactions The statement also stressed the special parliamentary delegation. to the massacre. responsibility of the United Nations in According to an annex to UN Document achieving a solution in East Timor. Before ·1 1--15 14560 on East Timor of 13 September the massacre President Mario Soares had 1991 , the stated purpose of the \·isit was to Portugal sent a five-page letter to Javier Perez de facilitate 'the achievement of a Noting that ·Not even the presence of the Cuellar, the UN secretary-general. The UN , comprehensi\·e and internationally Special Rapporteur on Torture of the United he wrote, 'which took such a clear position acceptable settleme nt of the question of Na tions Commission on Human Rights acted on Kuwait, should condemn with the same East Timor'. as a deterrent,' the Po11uguese government vehemence the occupation and oppression issued a strongly-worded statemenr on 12 to which Indonesia has subjected the people November which condemned 'this new act of East Tim or. · Suspension of utmost brutality ... against a defenceless Spokesperson for the National Council of Li sbon-.~ official reason for the suspension civilian crowd ... · East Timorese Resistance, Jose Ramos Horta, of the delegation, announced by the Describing the massacre as a result of in Lisbon at the time of the events in the chairman of the Portuguese parliament ten Indonesia ·s ·continuing illegal occupation Santa Cruz cemetery, said that Timorese had days before the parliamentarians and their [of East Tima r], in disregard of the UN been refused access to the UN Special entourage of U"l officials and media guests Charter and of General Assembly and Rapporteur on Torture, Peter Koojimans, in were due to depart for Dili, \\·as that it could Security Council resolutions,' the statement Dili at the time of the massacre. not accept Indonesia's decision to veto one called on all states to pressure the Jakarta Following Indonesia's nomination of a of the foreign journalists chosen by the government to withdraw immediately from commission of inquiry entirely composed Portugu e ~e delegation to accompany its the territory and end repression; to demand of former army officers and government-
4 INTERNATIONAL linked figures, Portugal issued a second 'We think that a continued and well focused statement on 20 November. Noting that the military assistance programme for Indonesia commission was chaired by a Supreme :>i can contribute to the professionalisation of Court Judge who was a reservist army the Indonesian military .... These kinds of general, it declared that the commission programmes expose the trainee to lacked any legitimacy and demanded an democratic ideas and humanitarian independent international investigation. standards,' claimed State Department Portugal declared 20 November a day of spokesman Richard Boucher immediately national mourning for the massacre victims. after the massacre. Flags were flown half-mast, newspapers In Congress, Democrat senator Claiborne were published with a black edge and Pell, chairman of the Senate foreign relations church commerations were held. committee, and Republican Malcolm Wallop sponsored a resolution calling for a European Community reassessment of all military training aid to In a resolution condemning the killings on Indonesia. 'It is time for our policy of 21 November, the European Parliament implicitly accepting Indonesia 's demanded an 'immediate, thorough, incorporation of East Timor to be impa1tial and internationally supervised reviewed ... . The East Timorese deserve the investigation' to bring those responsible to right to decide their future under the aegis trial. Urging the EC and the UN to impose of a United Nations-sponsored referendum,' an arms embargo on Indonesia, it called on Pell said. the Council of Ministers to review co Calling for an international solution to the James Gibbons, brother of killed New Zealander Kamal operation agreements with Indonesia and conflict in East Timor and an independent Bamadhaj, at a protest in London on ministers of EC member states to make inquiry into the massacre, the resolution strong representations to the Indoesian Boyd MP, the Foreign Office minister, requested the US ambassador in Jakarta to authorities. It also resolved to send a mission insisted that the British government would visit East Timor to conduct an investigation, to a hearing on East Timor of the European only consider its position in the light of the as well as a report from the UN Special Parliament's subcommittee on human rights, Indonesian government's inquiry. The Rapporteur on Torture. It also called for the due to be held in Lisbon. minister sought to divert attention from the President to press the UN Commission on In a statement issued on 25 November, British government's lack of action by Human Rights to appoint a special the Council of Minsters expressed 'grave referring to EC statements. rapporteur on East Timor and to pressure concern' at events in Dili and urged the On 25 November Lord Caithness told the the Indonesian government to allow the Indonesian government to 'ensure that House of Lords that the government had 'no UN Special Rapporteur on Summary and members of the Indonesian armed forces plans to raise [the] issue with the UN Arbitrary Executions to investigate human and police in East Timor refrain immediately secretary-general'. rights in both East Timor and Indonesia. from using violence' and that those Two early day motions have been tabled Another resolution was also approved by responsible for the massacre be brought to in the House of Commons. One, tabled by the House of Representatives. trial. Labour members of parliament Alice Mahon On 27 November, at the instigation of In another statement on 3 December, the and Dawn Primarolo, calls for a British arms Senator Wallop, a majority of the Senate Council of Ministers declared that co embargo on Indonesia and for the UN sent a letter to President Bush, expressing operation between the EC and Indonesia Security Council to discuss East Timor. The concern at continuing atrocities in East would be reviewed in the light of Jakarta's other, tabled by Conservative MP Hugh Timor and stressing the issue of self response to the Community's demands for Dykes and which has received cross-party determination. a credible, independent investigation and support, requests the Indonesian authorities In a 18 December letter to Assistant for human rights to be respected. The to 'introduce a plan for East Timor's self Secretary of State for Human Rights and statement reiterated the ministers' determination'. Humanitarian Affairs, Richard Schifter, 'condemnation of these unjustifiable actions The massacre was given wide coverage Democrat representatives Tony Hall and by the armed forces of Indonesia'. in the British media, with strong editorials Frank Wolf noted that US aid to Indonesia On 13 November Denmark joined appearing in The Times, the Guardian, the might be jeopardised by its conduct towards Canada in suspending aid to Indonesia and Independent on Sunday, the Observer, New East Timor. (The United States is a major became the first EC member state to do so. Statesman and Society and the Catholic contributor to multilateral aid provided by Meanwhile, the Dutch government Herald. On Channel Four News, news the Inter-Governmental Group on Indonesia announced that the Netherlands would presenter Jon Snow conducted a 20-minute and worth US$4 .75 billion in 1991.) halt new aid to Indonesia, but existing feature on the massacre and its background, Expressing alarm at the threat of Indonesian projects would not be affected. Dutch aid interviewing the Indonesian and Portuguese military chiefs to 'wipe out all separatist to Indonesia in 1990 was more than US$200 foreign ministers. elements' after the official Indonesian million. On 10 December, Human Rights Day, inquiry, they called for international during a demonstration held outside the observers to be sent to protect the East Britain Indonesian embassy in London, a letter from Timorese. The Indonesian ambassador was non-governmental organisations calling for summoned to the Foreign and an independent international inquiry under The strength of the reaction in the United Commonwealth Office to be told of the UN auspices was delivered to embassy staff States was helped by the fact that two US British government's 'concern' at events in by Ann Clwyd MP, shadow minister for journalists had been present at the Santa Dili. Otherwise the government did little to overseas development of the opposition Cruz massacre and badly beaten up by convince observers that Britain would take Labour Party, Alice Mahon MP, and James Indonesian troops. Their eye-witness action against Indonesia, despite pressure Gibbons, brother of New Zealander Kamal accounts (from which we quote on pl-2) from all the major parties in parliament. Bamadhaj, killed in the massacre. It was were given wide coverage and editorials On 18 November the Overseas accompanied by lists of the MPs who had on East Timor appeared in the Washington Development minister, Lynda Chalker, told signed the early day motions in the House Post, the Boston Globe and the New York the House of Commons that the 'good of Commons. Times. governance' criterion for the allocation of In an editorial on 20 November, the British aid applied to Indonesia. But, United States Washington Post alerted the Bush ignoring the assertion of fellow The Bush administration, while regretting administration to the strong stance taken Conservative, Jim Lester MP, that 'what has events in East Timor, has defended its by conservatives in the Senate and stated happened in East Timor is the very opposite military aid programme to the Suharto that Indonesia 'should treat the incident not of good governance', Hon Mark Lennox- regime, worth US$2.3 million in 1991-92. simply as a public relations problem but as
5 INTERNATIONAL the occasion to pull the thorn of East Timor, have an official position on East Timorese Vicar-General condemned Australia's to ahandon an exercise in Third World self-determination, sent two officials to the 'appeasement' of Indonesia and called for colonialism that represents an abiding territory to im·estigate massacre. self-determination. embarrassment to a country seeking respect In a statement on 20 November, the Diet and a \\'ider [international] role.· (parliament) forum on East Timor, deploring Sideways move In a further editorial on 9 December, the the massacre and expressing fears for the Much of the public's anger has been \\ ashi11p,to11 Post. noting the Senate letter safety of East Timorese in its wake, urged directed at the Australian government. In a to President Bush, discussed the role that the government to take a clear stand and to book on foreign policy in the 1990s, the l lnited States and other memhers of the revise its policy towards Indonesia with published shortly before the massacre, the international communit y could play: which Japan has close ties. Australian Foreign Minister, Senator Gareth 'A ustralia can make a special contrihution: Evans, made only two or three brief suspend its [oil] agreement with Jakarta .... references to East Timor and said that There must he a parallel effort to deal with Australia's relationship with Indonesia was the political roots of the problem. That Canada now so solid that only a strong storm could means going beyond condemnation and Ca nada, a major donor of aid and seller of shake it. But the storm of public opinion has impartial investigation and organising an arms to Indonesia, has traditionally trodden put Canberra in a dilemma. expression of self-determination. The cautiously over East Timor. But following Electorally shaky and populist, the Labour United Nations could do the job best. If the massacre, Minister of External Affairs government has responded to public Indonesia is right in claiming it has brought Barbara McDougall expressed Canadian pressure by condemning the massacre. In prosperity and light to East Timor, it would shock to Indonesian foreign minister, Ali mid-December Senator Evans was due to not fear a fair poll. President Bush, liberator Alatas, at an Asia-Pacific Economic Co visit Jakarta, the Indonesian capital, to of Kuwait, should make this his policy's operation gathering in Seoul, and convey Australian disapproval to President priority.· announced that Ottawa would review aid Suharto. On the other hand, to protect its to Jakarta. relationship with Indonesia, the government Japan On 9 December the Canadian has sought to explain the massacre as a local Japan, the largest aid donor to Indonesia government announced the suspension of military 'aberration' that cannot be attributed (US$2.1 billion in 1990) and which does not development aid worth C$30 million. to Jakarta and to pin its hopes on the Indonesian inquiry. It has also refused to back up its condemnation with sanctions, despite widespread calls for at least military Wave of outrage sweeps co-operation with Indonesia to be suspended. Canberra has also refused to review its recognition of Indonesia's incorporation of Australian public East Timor. However, it has been forced to concede that East Timar, as Prime Minister Australia has long since been criticised delegation due in November. Bob Hawke put it, is 'a running sore'. To as an accomplice of Indonesian The massacre, witnessed by several heal this ulcer, the government is proposing occupation. But as PAT WALSH writes foreigners, including Australians, had two new efforts at reconciliation between from Australia, the recent Santa Cruz immediate effects. It confirmed what many Indonesia and East Timor, including the massacre has had a profound impact had been saying about the situation but had resistance, and wants the international on the Australian public, leading to had difficulty sustaining; and it mobilised community and the UN secretary-general to pressure for a change in Canberra's others who had reserved judgement but play a part. stance. were now compelled by irrefutable This is a welcome shift in government evidence - strongly reported by the thinking. But it is also clear that Australia The response in Australia to the Dili killings Australian media - to take a position. wants the issue to be resolved internally so has been so strong that the massacre could As a result, the event has crystallised the that Indonesia's 'sovereignty' is not have happened here, such is the level of whole Timor tragedy, reopening a debate public empathy with East Timor. The wave \vhich has waxed and waned in Australia challenged and the UN does not become too involved. The government fears that formal of outrage has equalled that felt over recent m·erthe last 16 years. It has provided a focus incidents in Australia when crazed gunmen of support for East Timor unlike any period UN involvement might be used against have shot down innocent citizens. since the Indonesian invasion in 1975. Australia in the Internatienal Court ofJustice The reaction has not just been due to where Portugal is contesting the legal status of the 1989 Timor Gap Treaty between long-standing public concern about East Church reaction Australia and Indon~sia for the joint Timor, which successive Australian The strength of the reaction has been best development of oil and gas reserves in the governments have failed to allay, hut to illustrated by the response of the Australian Timor Sea. [As Timar Link went to press, the several new factors. Catholic Church. Officially non-committal Australian government and Indonesia over East Timor for many years and approved 11 oil production contracts.) Reopened debate constrained by Vatican policies, the Thus, despite the strength of public Since the opening of East Timor in 1989, Australian bishops have finally bitten the support for justice in East Timor, Australia there has been a steady stream of Australian bullet. In a series of statements, they have is merely making a slight move sideways visitors to the territory, including journalists condemned the massacre, called for a UN while leaving the essence of its policy on and church people, as well as a group of enquiry and, most significantly, urged a UN East Timor intact. This is regrettable. It fails Australian parliamentarians which produced referendum in East Timar on independence. to take into account the strength ofTimorese a critical report just \\·eeks before the Many Australian bishops, including nationalism and will be read as weakness massacre. All have reported on the heavy Cardinal Clancy, declared 7 December a day by the dominant hardliners in Indonesia. military presence and continued East of national mourning and held masses Most importantly it fails to take advantage Timorese aspirations for self-determination. which were attended by thousands of of the excellent opportunity for a Sr Helen Lombard, for instance, the Catholics. In Canberra, the capital, fundamental review of policy and will Provincial of the Good Samaritan Order, Archbishop Carroll clearly broke ranks with weaken support for a concerted who made her first visit in October 1991 , the government by celebrating mass outside international initiative which is essential if a concluded that East Timor was 'an occupied the Indonesian embassy where East lasting settlement is to be found. country·. Timorese, local activists and unions have Concern that a crisis was developing in maintained a non-stop vigil since the Pat Walsh is director of the Australian East Timor was further heightened by the massacre and established an East Timorese Council for Overseas Aid's human rights last-minute cancellation of the Portuguese embassy. At the cathedral in Melbourne, the programme
6 CHURCH Church under pressure The Catholic Church in East Timor has provocation by the authorities and that one Defender of played a key role in publicising human of the two victims was a known collaborator rights abuses and offering protection of the Indonesian security agency. He had to the occupied territory's population. not received any letter from the Vatican or the people In recent months it has faced increasing from the Apostolic Nunciature in Jakarta. threats and the pressure from the Since the massacre church sources in East Appointed Apostolic Administrator of Indonesian authorities has continued Timor have spoken of an atmosphere of Dili diocese eight years ago at the age of since the Santa Cruz massacre. terror worse than at any time since the 1975 35, Bishop Belo has repeatedly invasion. Witnesses of the massacre and the denounced Indonesian human rights The Church has often given young people injured who had been too afraid to seek violations and spoken out against shelter in its buildings when they have medical treatment were being rounded up. Jakarta's attempts to destroy East feared for their lives and several youths Extra-judicial executions, torture and rape Timorese language and culture. were staying in Motael Church on 28 were still occurring on a daily basis and Portugal is regarded by the United October when Indonesian troops shot leaders of the Catholic Church, including Nations as the administering authority of Sebastiao Gomes dead in the early hours of Bishop Belo, were heing threatened. Fr East Timar, and the Vatican, which has the morning. It was this incident which Ricardo has been brutally interrogated on a not recognised Indonesia's annexati on sparked the events leading to the Santa Cruz number of occasions. Reports in mid of the territory, runs Dili diocese from massacre almost a fortnight later. December pointed to continual surveillance Rome. In protest at Gomes' murder, the of the clergy and told of priests being Bishop Belo works in difficult Apostolic Administrator, Bishop Carlos interrogated for up to seven hours without circumstances. He is caught between the Belo, refused an invitation to attend a interruption. demands of his people for independence meeting of the Indonesian Bishops' Bishop Belo has appealed to the Un ited and church protection and the pressure Conference in Jakarta. And, in spite of States to intervene as the Indonesian from sectors within the Church to 'keep pressure from the military, he issued a campaign of 'refined psychological out of politics' and accept the statement to clarify the Motael Church harassment' continues. Repression is aimed incorporation of the Timorese church incident, rejecting reports in the Indonesian at turning one Timorese against another and into Indo nesian structures. Belo faces the media which blamed the Church. the speaking of Portuguese is treated as a daily reality of a repressive military Belo's statement pointed to the late-night crime against the state. Despite the occupation, as well as the threat to his presence during the previous week of intimidation, Belo has vowed to 'suffer in personal safety that this involves. unknown 'individuals on motor-cycles' in joy' with his people in the search for a the vicinity of the church. Normally, 'only peaceful solution to the country's problems. I police, military and intelligence agents' kept watch. Belo also stated that he had given his permission for the parish priest's residence Foreign bishops rally and the church to be searched after 6am. Anti-Indonesian pamphlets, Fretilin and Portuguese flags and a number of knives, sticks and iron bars had been found - but to Timar church in the house of domestic staff, and 'not in The atmosphere of fear and intimidation in can determine the political activities of its the church, as had been tendentiously East Timar had been rising long before the members', it 'deeply regretted the incident', broadcast'. Eighteen people had been Santa Cruz massacre. In October Bishop urged all parties to settle the matter 'through handed over to the police. Belo spoke on Portuguese radio of his fears judicial process' and to be 'calm and wise In an interview with the head of public for the Timorese people during the and not to be influenced by rumours which relations of the Indonesian Bishops' forthcoming v1s1t of the Portuguese could worsen the situation.' Conference, Fr Alberto Ricardo, the parish parliamentarians, saying that the military Subsequently, a fact-finding team sent by priest of Motael Church and vicar general had threatened to shoot the people if they the Indonesian bishops to East Timor of Dili diocese, said that it would be approached the visitors. blamed the Indonesian military for the impermissible to turn away young people Reports were also received of attacks on massacre, establishing that over 100 people seeking the protection of the Church. 'It is Catholic churches, with casualties in had been killed instead of the official my duty to help those of my sheep who Maliana, Suai, and Fatumaca. In response, Indonesian figure of 19. have gone astray and are in difficulty. ' He 64 Catholic and Protestant bishops from In a follow-up statement, the mission also denied that the church had been used around the world wrote to the UN secretary expressed solidarity with the Timorese for political ends and that flags and weapons general, Javier Perez de Cuellar, requesting Church and their 'deep regret that because had been found there. him to take steps to guarantee the safety of of the actions of some members of the Following the massacre on 12 November, the Timorese people during and after the armed forces, the moral integrity, dignity, Bishop Belo gave refuge to 257 young East Portuguese delegation's visit and to install a and credibility of the nation has been put Timorese and personally accompanied UN team of observers to monitor human at risk in the eyes of the world, of our own others back to their homes. He had counted rights after its departure. country, and even more so, of the people 89 young men with bullet or stab wounds In the wake of the Santa Cruz massacre, of East Timor, a people to whom we should in the local military hospital and referred to bishops' conferences around the world be reaching out'. This was the first time that the stabbing of an army officer during the reacted to give support to the beleaguered the Indonesian bishops had taken such a clashes. This, he believed, could have church in East Timor. clear stance on East Timor. sparked the soldiers' fury. Japan Since the Motael incident on 28 October, Indonesia In a letter of support to Bishop Belo on 12 Belo has been without the use of a Significantly, the Indonesian Catholic December, the Japanese Catholic Bishops' telephone and cut off from the rest of the Bishops' Conference issued a statement, Conference called for the right of the world. 'It is not a coincidence. Every time jointly signed by chairman Archbishop Timorese people to self-determination, there is a special event here, my phone does Julius Darmaatmadja of Semarang and expressing 'our strong support for your not work.' He had written to the governor secretary Capuchin Bishop Martinus Dogma demand for a referendum as presented by of East Timar, Mario Carrascalao, saying Situmorang of Padang. Stressing that 'the your Excellency to the secretary-general of that the Motael incident was the result of Church is not a political organisation that the United Nations in February 1989.
7 CHURCH
·\\·e urge the United "