The Issue

The Indonesian military invaded the former Portuguese colony of East Timor in 1975. After several years of heavy fighting, in which more than 200,000 Timorese, one-third of the population at the time of the invasion, were killed, the Indonesian military occupied and brutalized the people for a quarter century. Beginning with Kissinger's blessing on the invasion in a meeting with President Suharto just days before it was launched and Jimmy Carter’s all-out supplying of the murderous occupation, every U.S. Administration supported the occupation diplomatically and with arms and training.

After a long, brave struggle by the Timorese and a small but tenacious support group in the U.S., Indonesia agreed to allow an internationally supervised referendum in East Timor on whether to remain part of Indonesia as a semi-autonomous province, or become an independent nation. Concomitantly, the U.S. Congress forbid the Administration to give military aid or training to the Indonesians.

The referendum was held August 31, 1999. More than 98% of the registered voters cast ballots despite months of intimidation by anti-independence gangs armed and given free rein by the Indonesian security forces. They voted overwhelmingly (78%) for independence.

As soon as the results were announced, the paramilitaries went on a rampage under close control (denied but proven) of the Indonesian military. Much of the population was driven across the border into Indonesian West Timor, while much of their property was destroyed or looted. The capital, Dili, was almost razed to the ground.

Australia, which had played a bad part in the original occupation, sent troops in as the bulk of U.N. peacekeeping force

As of May 30, 2000, over 100,000 East Timorese refugees were living in some 200 refugee sites scattered throughout West Timor. Another 11,000 to 30,000 are believed to be elsewhere in Indonesia. A recent fact-finding mission coordinated by the East Timor Action Network found that the situation for refugees in West Timor and other parts of Indonesia remains dire.

East Timorese in camps face ongoing threats and intimidation by Indonesian military (TNI) supported militia leaders, little to no medical care, and malnutrition. Over 700 people, most children, have died from various illnesses since last September due to inadequate sanitation and medical care. Nearly 100 refugees were killed and tens of thousands further displaced in mid-May in flash floods. Continuous damp and muddy conditions in the camps due to an unusually long rainy season have already exacerbated the health care crisis. A malaria catastrophe looms once the rains stop. Access to many of the camps by humanitarian organizations remains limited, and aid workers are still being threatened.

Current Activity

The human rights and humanitarian efforts are being made on two fronts:

1. Aid to the East Timorese;
2. Legislation to continue the ban on U.S. military assistance to Indonesia, plus U.S. aid for Timorese repatriation.

For the legislative work see under Legislative Highlights: Indonesia and East Timor. The humanitarian goals include

• an immediate end to Indonesian military support for militias, and the disarming and disbanding of all militia groups;
• the separation of militia leaders from the civilian refugee population, their arrest by Indonesian police or UN authorities, and their extradition to East Timor;
• open and complete access to all refugee camps in West Timor for humanitarian aid workers.
• assurance that all refugees who wish to return home can do so without intimidation before any
• forced closing of camps under arbitrary deadlines.
• a coordinated effort to track, locate, and safely return East Timorese refugees taken off Timor island.
• better preparations in East Timor by the UN High Commission for Refugees and others for reintegration and resettlement of returning refugees.

Campaigns

Local: Greater Houston Chapter, Peace Action-Texas. Contact Herbert Rothschild Jr., Chapter Coordinator, at herbertrothschild@hotmail.com or 713.743.9022.

National: East Timor Action Network, 110 Maryland Ave. NE #30, Washington, D.C. 20002. 202.544.6911, etandc@igc.apc.org. Web site is http://www.etan.org