CNRT
National Council for Timorese Resistance
MEDIA RELEASE
For immediate release: 1130 Australian EST,
Wednesday 8 September 1999
STATEMENT BY:
Joao Carrascalao Head of CNRT in Australia President of UDT (Timorese Democratic
Union)
The Field Commander of Falintil, Taun Matan Ruak, called today from his base in the mountains of East Timor. He made an impassioned plea for help and detailed further atrocities committed by the Indonesian military machine as it continues its genocide and ethnic cleansing program.
Taun Matan Ruak said: "The international community must intervene urgently in East Timor -- or tomorrow there will be no Timor to save. "I call on Timorese everywhere to mobilise to press in every way they can for international intervention."
Taun Matan Ruak made a special appeal to Australia: "Our thanks to you for what you are doing. But we need more help. Do not forget, Australia, that we were there to help when Australia needed us, dying in these very mountains to save Australian troops."
The situation in Dili: "It is chaotic. People are fleeing to the mountains, being arrested, killed and forced on to trucks to go to West Timor. "Some East Timorese in the police force have been murdered, some have fled to the mountains to join us. "Indonesia is disarming Battalion 744 (an East Timorese territorial battalion); the Indonesians do not trust them."
The situation in the Districts: Suai: "The Indonesians attacked and destroyed the church at Suai yesterday. Of 2000 people taking refuge there, they will 100-200, including two priests and two nuns." Ermera: "They attacked the church. All the priest and nuns and everyone sheltering there fled to a hiding place and are safe at present. Commander Ular (the local Falintil commander) says they are seeking safety in the mountains." Manatuto: "The church was attacked. Father Domingos and the people sheltering there escaped to the mountains. Father Eduardo and another group are also on their way into the mountains. Laleia, Ossu and Venilale: "Some residents and some local armed people got away from the military. We are trying to find them to stop them sacrificing themselves in a hopeless local fight back. That is going to be difficult; they are very determined people."
The situation in the mountains: "There are tens of thousands of refugees in the mountains now; they are in a terrible situation. "They are hungry, thirsty, sick and in abject misery. "The roads are blocked, food is very short already. "We are hungry, but we are doing everything we can to save our people."
Issued on behalf of CNRT by Geoffrey Heard & Associates Melbourne, AUSTRALIA GH&A provides this service free to aid the suffering people of East Timor.
CNRT
National Council for Timorese Resistance
MEDIA RELEASE For immediate release:
0930 AustralianEST,
Wednesday 8 September 1999
STATEMENT BY:
Joao Carrascalao Head of CNRT in Australia President of UDT (Timorese Democratic
Union)
Hitler would be envious -- just 96 hours after the United Nations declared that 78.5 per cent of East Timorese had voted for freedom from Indonesian oppression, the fascist Indonesian military machine and its civil government collaborators like Foreign Minister, Ali Alatas, are well on their way to their target of exterminating 344,580 East Timorese.
They will also kill tens of thousands more -- innocent children.
These people will die, shot, hacked, tortured, raped and starved to death, unless the free, democratic nations of the world confront Indonesia today, in every international forum and on the ground in East Timor.
The figure of 344,580 is the number of people who voted for independence in the UN ballot, trusting in the assurances of sincere workers for the United Nations and from governments, including Australia and Portugal, that they could vote in safety and live to enjoy freedom afterwards.
But documents circulated in the Indonesian military and auxiliary pseudo-militia forces before the ballot said that those voting should be carefully noted, and every voter for independence should be wiped out after the ballot ... regardless of the result.
Those plans were put into action within an hour of the declaration of the ballot.
In the 1970s, 200,000 East Timorese died when the the Indonesian military dictatorship launched an all-out campaign against the independence movement. That kept the lid on the movement for two decades.
There can be no doubt that this time, their aim is more ambitious -- to wipe out the East Timorese independence movement for ever. That means wiping out every East Timorese who voted for independence.
We reiterate Taun Matan Ruak's appeal to all nations -- please help now. If you don't, there will be no East Timor tomorrow.
Issued on behalf of CNRT by Geoffrey Heard & Associates Melbourne, AUSTRALIA GH&A provides this service free to aid the suffering people of East Timor.
Geoffrey Heard GH&A Public Relations
Tel: +61 3 9583 0788
Email: gheard@surf.net.au
GH&A provides a free PR and information service to CNRT to support the people of East Timor in their struggle for freedom.