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Indonesia says it accepts blame for bloodbath in East Timor
April 18, 1999
DILI, Indonesia (CNN) -- Indonesia accepted blame on Sunday for bloody violence that killed dozens of people in East Timor, a senior aide to President B.J. Habibie said. "It's true, it's our responsibility because we are the only ones here," Dewi Fortuna Anwar told Reuters. He said Indonesia remains committed to a U.N.-brokered peace process. A dozen people were reported killed Saturday in a renewed bout of violence over whether East Timor should break away -- at least in part -- from Indonesia. Pro-Jakarta militiamen rampaged through the capital of the former Portuguese colony on Saturday. Indonesian media, quoting local police and military officials, said more than 20 people died, but the armed forces (ABRI) in Jakarta put the toll at 12. "We condemn the act of violence and we are really concerned with what happened yesterday and we hope that it won't disturb the agenda for next week's meeting of foreign ministers," Anwar said, adding that Jakarta was committed to a peaceful settlement. The foreign ministers of Indonesia and Portugual meet in New York from Thursday for U.N.-sponsored talks on a ballot to allow the former Portuguese colony to choose between independence and enhanced autonomy within Indonesia.Demonstrators mass at governor's officeSaturday's killings sparked international outrage, with most governments blaming Jakarta for failing to control the loyalist militia. Anti-independence militiamen fired military and homemade weapons, burned houses of rival separatists and looted stores in a rampage after thousands rallied in East Timor's capital to demonstrate their loyalty to Indonesia. "We must fight to keep the integration of East Timor into the Republic of Indonesia," militia commander Joao Da Silva Tavares told 3,000 demonstrators outside the governor's office. Many of the militiamen wore headbands in red and white -- the colors of the Indonesian flag. Detained guerrilla leader Xanana Gusmao has called on pro-independence activists to take up arms themselves. At least three people died Friday in fighting between guerrillas and Indonesian troops in Manatuto district.
A people dividedMore than 200,000 East Timorese -- about a quarter of the population -- have died of fighting, starvation and disease since Indonesia invaded and claimed the territory in the mid-1970s. Gang and guerrilla violence has stepped up recently as a potential vote on independence looms. The East Timorese are bitterly divided on the issue. Indonesia announced in January that it would grant the Timorese independence if they reject a proposal to grant East Timor limited self-rule. The United Nations plans to hold a vote in July to determine whether the people of East Timor want autonomy within the Indonesian state or full independence. Many fear rising violence could stop the ballot. Indonesian Foreign Minister Ali Alatas is expected to present details of the autonomy offer to Portuguese officials at talks at the United Nations in New York next week.
Separatists: Gangs have military backingFrightened residents feared Saturday's death toll was actually higher than reported and that dozens had been injured. They said gangs roamed the streets at will through the day and after dark, unchallenged by uniformed forces who usually maintain tight security in the town. Separatists have accused Indonesia's military of training and arming anti-independence paramilitary groups to derail the U.N. peace process. East Timor's Indonesian military chief Col. Suhartono Suratman, who has repeatedly denied that charge, said the situation was "under control" on Saturday night. However, he said only five militiamen had been arrested and some weapons confiscated by police. He said eight people were killed when one militia gang opened fire and threw rocks as they stormed the home of prominent pro-independence politician Manuel Carrascalao, the brother of a former East Timor governor. They also set ablaze houses of the leaders of National Council of Resistance of East Timor, or CNRT, Leandro Isaac and David Ximenes. Suratman and witnesses said Manuelito Carrascalao, an adopted teen-age son of Carrascalao, was stabbed to death during the attack. More than 100 people, many of them displaced villagers who had fled earlier communal violence, had been sheltered in Carrascalao's house. They ran away when the gang smashed doors and windows. At least two nearby houses were set afire. A local market was also burned, along with several cars.
Newspaper office attackedOther militiamen ransacked the offices of the Suara Timor Timur newspaper, which they accused of biased reporting against their cause. Witnesses said police watched as the gang took away computers and furniture. A state-owned printing company was also attacked. Several local and foreign journalists said they had been threatened or beaten by gangs. Some militiamen invaded a hotel where some news crews were staying. Residents said trouble started while hundreds of militiamen drove through the Dili in more than 80 trucks. They went on a rampage after they heard gunshots in the eastern outskirts of the town. It was not clear who fired the initial shots. Witnesses said some of the militiamen, wrongly fearing an attack by rival pro-independence fighters, returned fire at random. Reuters contributed to this report. RELATED STORIES: U.N. preparing operation for East Timor poll RELATED SITES: East Timor Action Network
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