[asia-apec 1290] JOint Statement

[KOSHIDA Kiyokazu]

Joint Statement	of Japanese Citizens and NGOs on the Current Situation
in East Timor	 

Indonesian President B.J. Habibie
Indonesian ForeignMinister Ali Alatas
Indonesian State Secretary Muladi 

September the 9th

1999 We are deeply shocked, saddened and outraged at the situation in
East Timor in which violence and slaughter have been perpetrated against
the citizens by pro-government militias, and backed by elements of the
Indonesian military and police. Hundreds have already lost their lives,
 thousands have been forced to flee their homes and the remaining East 
Timorese residents are badly shaken up and living in fear and
uncertainty.
In the referendum of August 30, 78.5 percent of voters rejected Indonesia's
 offer of autonomy, and East Timorese thus began preparations aiming at
independence. However, attacks against residents by anti-independence
Indonesia militiamen have escalated alarmingly. It is said that the
number of lives lost since the referendum has reached into the hundreds
and the number of evacuees has risen into the tens of thousands.
Furthermore, the pro-government militias have directed their violence
against the United Nations East Timor support group (UNAMET), and seem
to be stopping at nothing to prevent East Timorese independence.

The Indonesian government, which has an absolute responsibility to
maintain the public peace of East Timor, has failed utterly.
Despite the imposition of martial law it has become clear that the
Indonesian military and police are doing nothing to prevent the violence
and chaos and have made no difference whatsoever. Numerous witnesses
have reported that the Indonesian military and police are attacking
residents in cooperation with militiamen.
It is also known that Indonesian army special forces are supplying arms
and medicine to the anti-independence militiamen. Moreover, it has been
confirmed that the Indonesian military, the police, and the
anti-independence Indonesia militiamen were acting together in
both attacks against UNAMET staff and the emergency evacuation next to
UNAMET on the evening of September 5. We are almost speechless with
anger and strongly protest such outrageous acts. We can not permit the
present situation to continue. Japanese citizens and NGOs are greatly
troubled by the situation in the East Timor and we propose the following
to the Indonesian government: 1. Of the 98.6 percent of the 450,000
registered voters who actually went to polling stations to vote, nearly
80 percent voted for independence for East Timor. We demand that
President Habibie of Indonesia honor his promise to respect the wishes
of the people and observe the results of the referendum.

2. It is said that the Indonesian military establishment is backing the
anti-independence militiaman by supplying arms and giving military
training. Moreover, the army and the police are making no effort to
control the vicious acts of violence committed by anti-independence
militiaman against the people. Presently, East Timor is under martial law
 and the United Nations' staff, NGO volunteers and foreign journalists
have pulled out.
The state of East Timor now is that of tyranny behind closed doors, as
the Indonesian military, the police and the anti-independence militias,
hidden from the eyes of the world, terrorize the population.
We strongly demand that the government of Indonesia take responsible
action in East Timor and open it to the world so that the international
community ican see what is going on. Investigations into the actions of
the Indonesian military, the police and the pro-government militias must
be conducted.

3.  The Indonesian government is entrusted with the responsibility of
maintaining public peace in East Timor based on an agreement reached in
New York on May 5, 1999.  However, the fact is that the Indonesian
military and the police are not only permitting the tyranny of
anti-independence militias, but in fact supporting them.
The situation appears to be worsening since the Indonesian government
declared Martial law on September 7 1999. We urge the Indonesian
government, in accordance with the wishes of the people of East Timor, to
 request that the United Nations intervene immediately to restore and
ensure public peace.

Addressing organizations
Asia-Japan Women's  Resource Center 
Pacific Asia Resource Center (PARC) 
Network for Indonesian Democracy, Japan(NINDJA) 
Japan Catholic Council for Justice and Peace


----------------------------
Koshida Kiyokazu (koshida at jca.apc.org, parc at jca.apc.org)
Pacific Asia Resource Center (PARC)
3F, Hinoki Bldg., 2-1 Kanda Ogawa-machi, Chiyoda-ku
Tokyo，Japan 101-0052
tel:81-3-3291-5901
fax:81-3-3292-2437