By Max Lane
According to Sarkeke, one of the East Timorese students in Jakarta who did not make it over the fence into the US Embassy on November 12, the sit-in protest there is aimed at getting Indonesia out of East Timor. "We want our independence, we will not stop fighting until we get independence", he told me over the phone from Jakarta.
"Our compatriots are demanding, and we demand, that US President Clinton tell President Suharto to release the East Timorese resistance leader Kay Rala Xanana Gusmao and all East Timorese political prisoners, and that the Indonesian president talk to the true representatives of the people of East Timor, including the East Timor church, CNRM, UDT and Fretilin.
"Our compatriots are demanding to see President Clinton or [US secretary of state] Christopher Warren so that they can present these demands directly. They have turned down an offer to see the ambassador."
The students also read out part of a statement they had written to be taken by an Indonesian delegation to an Australian trade union conference being held in Perth. They said that after two decades of suffering, "We have never received a serious response from our fellow humankind, and most especially not from those with power from the big nations, who are caught up in the race to focus on economic issues, ignoring our basic and essential human rights.
"The mass killings on November 12, 1991, at the Santa Cruz cemetery in Dili, were hidden by the authorities in this country until exposed by the younger generation of the Maubere people. But the struggle is continuing with the current actions by our intellectuals in Jakarta and the courageous resistance in East Timor itself. Are not these facts enough basis to involve the people's resistance in direct negotiations under the auspices of the UN, through the persons of the most charismatic of East Timor's leaders, Kay Rala Xanana Gusmao and his comrades?"
Asked what he thought the embassy occupation had achieved, Sarkeke said that they key thing so far was to show that resistance to the occupation was continuing. "We want the world to know that the resistance continues. Long before APEC, we had the idea that this was a good time to make that clear to the world."
Independence
Santana, another East Timorese student joining the fight in Jakarta, scoffed at Australian foreign minister Gareth Evans' statement that Indonesia was considering reducing troop numbers. "The Australian government only ever listens to Indonesia. There has never been any evidence that Indonesia's so-called troop withdrawals have ever really taken place. And we don't want this autonomy people talk about either; we want full independence."
As I was talking to Santana, a voice interrupted: "More news from Dili. A 14-year-old boy, beaten up during a demonstration of 300 students on the Dili university campus, died in hospital on November 15. Fighting broke out when the students refused the military's order to disperse."
"This is why we are fighting", said Santana, "because all we get is torture and oppression from the Indonesian army; that is the reality. And we will fight to the last drop of blood."
The East Timorese students said that they also want Clinton to remind Suharto about the fate of several elderly, long-serving Indonesian political prisoners, some of whom have been under the death sentence for over 30 years. They have also asked him to exert pressure on Jakarta to recognise the right of Indonesian workers to organise and to free imprisoned labour union leaders.
The East Timorese students came from several universities and cities in Bali and Java. Ninety students left the East Javanese city of Surabaya for Jakarta in two separate groups late on the evening of November 11.
While waiting at the Jakarta railway station, one East Timorese was arrested by an officer of Army Intelligence. The remainder attempted to disperse, but other security forces were able to arrest 41 people. Thirty-six of these were sent back to the regional police headquarters in East Java. It is strongly feared that the other five are being held under tight security at the Body for the Coordination of National Stability (Bakorstanas).
Other students proceeded to the US Embassy in taxis and attempted to climb over the fence when they arrived. One was arrested and taken to Gambir District police station and beaten. Several others who were not able to get in escaped on a passing bus and regrouped. During the day, three more students attempted to get over the fence: one got in, one was arrested, and one escaped.
A number of other students have gathered in Jakarta to provide backup to those in the embassy, although barricades now prevent direct communication, and to help investigate what happened to the 36 students sent back to East Java. After being taken back to Surabaya in a military-escorted bus, they were released. However, news received by GLW on November 17 confirmed that they had been rearrested.
Dili
In Dili, the situation has also been tense since November 12. Pro-independence demonstrations took place on November 13 and 14. More than 1000 students protested on November 13, following riots sparked by the killing of an East Timorese youth, Mario Vincente, in a fight with a Makassarese market trader.
The protest itself began when scores of students and youth staged a pro-independence demonstration. Reports from Dili say that the Indonesian military attempted to disperse the demonstrations with tear gas, but that the demonstrators fought back.
There are also reports of the Fretilin flag being raised in a number of towns.
On November 14, a further demonstration took place on the University of East Timor campus after three university students were arrested by Army Company 744. Clashes took place at the demonstration between students and riot police. Students refused to obey orders to leave the campus, and once again fighting took place.
As of November 16, GLW's sources state that 230 students were being held in Dili police headquarters. There are also reports of people being held in safe houses in Dili and in Viqueque and Colmera. Fifty students are in Wirahusada Army Hospital in Dili.
Five East Timorese are confirmed killed, although only one body has been returned to the family. A 14-year-old boy was reported beaten by soldiers on November 14 and died of his injuries on November 15.
A de facto curfew operates in many areas as a result of the many Indonesian troops on the streets. Shops and offices are only slowly starting to re-open.
On November 17, the military intensified house-to-house "inspections" and started to arrest "vocal" East Timorese.
Other measures taken by the occupation forces to avoid more demonstrations have included forcing the family of Mario Vincente to hold his funeral in Bobonaro, a town 50 km from Dili, so as to avoid any funeral processions that might turn into demonstrations. Sources also report that the ceremony for Vincente was not able to be carried out in accord with local customs.