Tue, 27 Apr 1999

Prointegration figure confirms murders in Suai

DILI, East Timor (JP): A string of murders has occurred in Suai, Covalima regency, in the past week, prointegration leader Rui Emiliano Treixeira Lopes said on Monday.

He did not mention figures but said that "several" bodies of people killed from last Saturday to Friday were dumped in the Salele River in Suai. Rui quoted local sources in Suai, where he is based, but said he was in Jakarta at the time of the alleged crimes.

About 1,000 residents have fled to the mountains where the Falintil proindependence militia is based. Prointegration members also have sought safety in the mountains from the killings which were motivated by personal revenge, Rui told reporters.

People identified as proindependence and prointegration supporters were among the victims, he said.

On Saturday a local legal aid office, the Hak Foundation, said two died and 30 went missing since Saturday. Local priests have declined to talk to journalists and the authorities maintain there have been no incidents.

"I deeply regret the killings," Rui said, adding that members of the Laksaur prointegration militia might be involved. The number of deaths remained under investigation, he said.

"Even crocodiles won't eat the dumped bodies in Salele River," he said.

Rui, who with two village heads in Covalima reported the killings to ambassador-at-large Lopez da Cruz, said those involved in the violence were former demonstrators at the Santa Cruz cemetery in 1991 who since went over to the prointegration camp.

The coordinator of the CNRT proindependence group here, David Dias Ximenes, told The Jakarta Post on Saturday that he urged an independent team to immediately investigate the incidents in Suai.

"Even if we mention figures, the government would not believe us," he said. "We really hope that the authorities will be honest and not manipulate facts, that the law will be upheld and that the East Timorese who died will be respected."

Ximenes has since gone into hiding.

The Commission for Peace and Justice under the Dili Diocese received reports of at least 11 missing persons as of noon on Monday.

A staff member said the commission received reports of an average of 10 missing persons a day since November, when nine were killed and hundreds went missing in Alas, Manufahi regency.

"One report often consists of up to 10 missing relatives," said Rio.

Commission members said recently the missing persons were reported by their families to have been abducted, often by militia and the military.

On Monday reports included five missing people in Laclubar district in Manatuto. Relatives identified them as Vicente Soares, Antonino Pinto, Marcelino Soares, Antonio and Adelino Soares.

They were allegedly taken from their homes by soldiers of the local 741 infantry battalion and members of the Manatuto Military Command on Saturday.

"They were not told what their offense was," a relative said.

"They were tied up and beaten at a post," an incident witnessed by many people, she said. Witnesses saw them being taken away in a van. The relatives also reported that three other people were in intensive care at the local health community center for gunshot wounds.

The motivation, another relative said, was revenge following the death of second class Sgt. Belarmino Lopes da Cruz when he was transporting supplies to Laclubar last Friday. Falintil is suspected of involvement in the killings, but relatives said those shot and abducted on Saturday were not members of the group. Many residents have fled to the forests following the shooting and kidnapping, the relatives said.

Also reported missing since Saturday were three residents of Hera village in East Dili. Relatives said kidnappers were members of the Dili-based Aitarak militia.

Relatives said they avoided reporting the incidents to police out of fear. "We could be arrested," one said. Another said police often dismissed reports of missing people.

On Saturday, Dili Police chief Col. Timbul Silaen said he ordered all police precinct chiefs to take action against further legal violations following the signing of the Wednesday peace pact between proindependence and prointegration camps.

The commission on Monday also received reports of three refugees from Maubara district in Liquica who sought shelter at the home of proindependence figure Manuel Carrascalao. His house was attacked last Saturday and 67 of 124 refugees at his home have since been sheltered by the Dili Police.

A woman who requested anonymity said her missing relatives -- Lucio Carion, Francisco Boabida and Antonino Boabida -- were not with the police. The military said bodies of 11 of 13 people killed at Manuel's home were delivered to their families in Liquica. (33/anr)