From: rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu (Rich Winkel)
Subject: Timor: Latest Developments
Followup-To: alt.activism.d
Originator: rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu
Organization: PACH
Date: Sat, 9 Jan 1993 08:11:20 GMT

/** reg.easttimor: 365.0 **/
** Topic: Current situation in East Timor **
** Written  9:31 pm  Jan  8, 1993 by gn:tapol in cdp:reg.easttimor **
Memo on latest developments in East Timor
 
The following is based on information conveyed by phone to
TAPOL by an East Timorese contact in Indonesia on 7 January
1993:
 
[Some remarks have been added in square brackets.]
 
Creating a 50:50 society
The level of fear, uncertainty and anxiety among the East
Timorese is now at a very high pitch.
 
The objective of the forces of occupation is to create a
"50:50 Society". This means that 50 per cent of the population
are nationalists (ie. anti-integration) while the other 50 per
cent must consist of people pledged to spy on the others. The
sweeping efforts to force people to take oaths of allegiance,
often now according to traditional ritual, meaning that non-
compliance will be fatal, is intending to have a very large
number of people under threat of death to spy on their
compatriots. People who are forced to take oaths of allegiance
are then released and subjected to close supervision to serve
the purposes of the intelligence.
 
Destroying the Church's links with the people
Another intel move to destabilise society is to persuade
formal and informal leaders to destroy the close ties between
the people and the Catholic Church. People are being urged to
turn against the Church.
 
Hunting down guerrillas
Since 18 December 1992, hundreds of East Timorese in Baucau
have been forced to go into the bush to hunt down guerrillas.
This operation is still under way. There is no news of any
guerrillas having been 'delivered' to the army.
 
Renewed armed activities
The armed resistance wishes is to be known that, since the
arrest of Xanana Gusmao on 20 November 1992, they have been
intensifying their level of military activity against the
Indonesian army.
 
Armed contact with the army took place on 9 December in
Fatubessi and Fatulia, located east of Ermera in the central
sector. Two Indonesian soldiers were killed. On 18-19 December
1992, during an operation by the guerrillas, three trucks of
Indonesian troops were attacked (blown up?), resulting in 60
Indonesian soldiers being killed.
 
Inevitably, say the guerrillas, an intensification of armed
contact has repercussions on the local population, as the army
takes reprisals against them. The guerrilla movement is keen
to show that the arrest of Xanana has not led to decline in
their activity. On the contrary, their intentions is to
increase the pressure on the 
army.
 
[There are several reports of armed contact with significant
losses on the Indonesian side. There are discrepancies between
the casualty figures, making it difficult to verify what
precisely happened. This is in part a consequence of the
extreme isolation of East Timor and the impossibility of
obtaining independent confirmation. Our source gave no
information about casualties on the side of the guerrillas.]
 
Many high-level officials 'involved'
Many top-level East Timorese officials are regarded by the
army as having been involved in looking after and supporting
Xanana Gusmao during the period he was in hiding (in terms of
helping him directly with hideouts, supplying his needs, etc).
They include six district chiefs (bupati), several heads of
bureaus and some businessmen. As of yet, not all these people
have been arrested as it is feared (by the army) that this
could cause public unrest and unease.
 
** End of text from cdp:reg.easttimor **
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