By James Balowski
While attention has been focused on South African President Nelson Mandela's recent meeting with jailed Fretilin leader Xanana Gusmao, and Mandela's offer to "contribute" to UN-sponsored negotiations between Portugal and Indonesia, little has been said about a military crackdown in which scores of East Timorese have been killed and hundreds of others arrested.
The latest crackdown was in response to pro-independence rebel attacks during the May 29 general elections, in which some 52 Indonesian police and soldiers and five Falintil rebels were killed.
Additional troops had been deployed to ensure the elections proceeded without incident. The Indonesian military responded by deploying a further 15 battalions.
There were also unconfirmed reports by human rights groups that Falintil had targeted civilians in the attacks — a claim taken up vigorously by Jakarta. But in a June 5 update on the killings, Human Rights Watch/Asia said that the allegations were "open to question".
Clearly embarrassed by the attacks — Jakarta has repeatedly claimed that Falintil is a spent force — on June 13, the government sacked regional commander Colonel Mhidin Simbolon and replaced him with Colonel Salamat Sidabutar, who immediately pledged to crack down on the armed resistance.
East Timor police chief Colonel Jusuf Mucharam, who had held the post for less than a year, was also replaced.
On June 19, on the eve of UN-sponsored peace talks in New York, Sidabutar told a local newspaper, "The rebels are becoming more inhuman and brutal" and said that the military would step up its attacks to preserve order.
According to a June 23 report from the Darwin East Timor International Support Centre, on June 20 the Indonesian military launched operation Garakan Tuntas (Annihilation Campaign), intended to crush the armed resistance. The campaign is also aimed at East Timorese civilians suspected of being associated with the resistance, and according a reliable source in the armed forces, a total of 1700 have been targeted.
On June 16, Constancio Pinto, a representative of the National Council of Maubere Resistance (CNRM), told the UN Decolonisation Committee:"Since the attacks, the military authorities have said they have arrested over 140 individuals but have released all but 23 people ... Falintil reports many more arrested and a number of civilians killed." According to CNRM, 18 of these were civilians believed to have been gunned down by Indonesian troops on election day.
CNRM's statement is supported by the deluge of reports by human rights groups detailing arbitrary killings, arrests and disappearances of East Timorese civilians. A summary of reports by the East Timor Human Rights Centre (ETHRC) paints a clear picture of the severity of the crackdown.
Fourteen men were arrested on June 2 during an assault by special forces troops from Kopassus BTT 312 and Team Saka (East Timorese recruited into the Indonesian military) on the village of Wadaboru. Troops also burned down the house in which they were hiding. Another man, Antonio Freitas, aged 20, was shot dead during the assault.
The report noted that although Jakarta claimed they were members of Falintil, ETHRC sources say they were civilians.
Between June 5 and 16, 85 people were arrested by Kopassus BTT 312 in Quelicai, Baucau district. A July 14 report by ETHRC said that their whereabouts were still unknown, and 15 others were believed to have been arrested.
On June 25, Falintil deputy chief of staff David Alex was shot and captured in Kaibada, Baucau. According to the military, he died in hospital later as a result of his wounds. Rebel sources, however, claimed that he died under interrogation.
No autopsy was carried out, and Alex was later buried in Dili. Despite numerous requests, his family was never allowed to see the body.
Five others were arrested along with Alex; four were taken to Kopassus headquarters at Kota Baru in Baucau city. Known as the "Red House", this is reputed to be a torture centre of the Indonesian military.
On July 12 Santina Morreira Belo, aged 22, and her baby disappeared after being arrested by Kopassus and Team Saka.
By July 28, ETHRC had reported the names of 114 East Timorese civilians who have been arrested since the crackdown began.
Many others whose names are not known have also been arrested. It noted that the fate of most of the detainees is still unknown, and many are at risk of torture or arbitrary execution.