CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL Current Class Page Current Handling n 'a Channel n a 1999JAKART02672 Document Number 1 RELEASED IN PART B 1 1 4 D CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 01 ACTION EAP-01 INFO LOG-00 DINT-00 EUR-01 L-01 OPIC-01 SP-00 DRL-02 JAKART 02672 01 OF 02 PTQ675 011003Z CIAE-00 ACQ-01 AMAD-01 AID-00 NP-01 DS-00 SRPP-00 WHA-01 DOEE-00 DODE-00 IO-00 INR-00 TEDE-00 H-01 FBIE-00 OIC-02 NSCE-00 NSAE-00 AC-01 ADS-00 P-00 ACE-00 PRS-00 PM-00 PA-00 DSCC-00 PMB-00 USIE-00 TRSE-00 STR-00 SWCI-00 SAS-00 NFAT-00 MR-00 G-00 38 0110032 ------------------CF39CD SMEC-00 EB-00 LAB-01 OMB-01 SCT-00 PRM-01 017W P 010959Z JUN 99 FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA 8042 TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY INFO ASEAN COLLECTIVE AMEMBASSY BONN AMEMBASSY CANBERRA AMEMBASSY LISBON AMEMBASSY LONDON AMEMBASSY OTTAWA AMEMBASSY ROME AMEMBASSY TOKYO AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON USMISSION GENEVA USMISSION USUN NEW YORK USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI FPA SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 002672 C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME FOR VATICAN JAKART PAGE 02 CONFIDENTIAL 02672 01 OF 02 011003Z E O 12958 DELL 06 01 04 MARR MOPS UN ID TAGS PGOV PHUM PINR EAID MAHIDI COUNTRY SUBJECT EAST TIMOR A FORAY INTO U 1 1 5 D GREGORY FERGIN CLASSIFIED BY ACTING POLCOUNS REASON I TO THE AINARO AND AILEU C SUMMARY IN A MAY 28 VISIT 2 FOUND MUCH EVIDENCE OF A DISTRICTS SOUTH OF DILI POLOFF Page Current Class CONFIDENTIAL UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE REVIEW AUTHORITY CHARLES E LAHIGUERA CLASSIFICATION CONFIDENTIAL REASON IA D DECLASSIFY AFTER 1 JUN 2014 DATE CASE ID 15 JUL 2004 200300722 CONFIDENTIAL 1 CONFIDENTIAL Current Class CONFIDENTIA Current Handling n a Document Number 1999JAKART02672 Page 2 Channel n a TNI-BACKED PROCONTINUING REIGN OF TERROR CARRIED OUT BY THEIR INTEGRATION MILITIAS WHO ARE A LAW UNTO THEMSELVES LIFE MEDICAL CARE ACTIVITIES HAVE SEVERELY DISRUPTED ECONOMIC MOST OFIWHOM ARE TOO AND THE EVERYDAY LIVES OF ORDINARY PEOPLE OUTSIDE THEIR TERRIFIED TO SPEAK TO OUTSIDERS OR TO TRAVEL WERE WORKING MILITARY LOCAL THE AND THAT THE MILITIAS VILLAGES AND THERE OBSERVERS LOCAL BY HAND IN HAND WAS TAKEN AS A GIVEN CAMPAIGN THE COOPERATION WAS LITTLE EFFORT TO DISGUISE THIS FULL SWING AND GIVEN FOR INTEGRATION AUTONOMY ALREADY WAS IN COMPELLING LOCAL THE STRONG INFLUENCE OF TRADITIONAL BELIEFS WAS SEEN AS AUTONOMY VILLAGERS TO SWEAR BLOOD OATHS TO VOTE FOR FORCES PRO-INTEGRATION THE A PARTICULARLY EFFECTIVE TACTIC RESULT IN WOULD AUTONOMY ALSO WERE THREATENING THAT REJECTION OF LOCAL TIMORESE THE NON-EAST A BLOODBATH REMINISCENT OF 1975-76 THE HIMSELF MADE DISTRICT CHIEF MILITIA LEADER IN AILEU HAD SOME LOCAL RESIDENTS ENRAGING WELL AS CHIEF AREA'S TRADITIONAL AINARO CONTACTS SPOKE OF AS BAD AS CONDITIONS WERE IN AILEU AND THE WEST END SUMMARY A MUCH WORSE SITUATION IN DISTRICTS TO 1 THE USAIDPOLOFF ACCOMPANIED AN AMCIT EMPLOYEE OF C 3 AUSTRALIAN DOCTOR ON A MAY SUPPORTED NCBA COFFEE PROJECT AND AN 1 CONFIDENTIAL i 0110032 01 OF 02 02672 JAKART PAGE 03 SOUTH OF DILI ABOUT DISTRICT AINARO IN 28 VISIT TO MAUBISSE NCBA NORMALLY UTILIZES AN ARMED HALFWAY TO THE SOUTHERN COAST THIS CASE THE ESCORT TNI ESCORT FOR TRIPS INTO THIS AREA BUT IN HEALTH CLINIC IN A CONSTRUCTING NCBA IS DID NOT MATERIALIZE A COFFEE MAINTAINS ALSO AND THE SUB-DISTRICT SEAT OF MAUBISSE MARYKNOLL THE VISITED ALSO WE PROCESSING FACILITY IN THE AREA DILI OF SOUTH DISTRICT SISTERS IN AILED THE MOUNTAINOUS IN MAUBISSE MAHIDI REIGNS SUPREME ---------------------------------THE MAUBISSE EFFECTIVELY IS UNDER THE CONTROLIOF C 4 IN BASED MILITIA MAHIDI LIVE AND DIE FOR INTEGRATION CHECKPOINTS MAHIDI NEW A NUMBER OF WHAT WERE SAID TO BE AINARO GROUPS OF MAHIDI PATROLLED ALONG THE MAIN ROAD SPROUTED HAD FIREARMS IDENTIFIED BY THE ROAD SOME CARRYING GOVERNMENT-ISSUE BUTTS AND OTHERS WHITE SERIAL NUMBERS PAINTED ON THE RIFLE CONTACTS POINTED OUT THAT FEWER THAN WITH TRADITIONAL WEAPONS BECAUSE EARLIER NORMAL MILITIA AND LOCAL RESIDENTS WERE PRESENT MOST PEOPLE AND THAT MORNING LOCAL LEADERS HAD ROUNDED UP WASIBEING HELD TO TRUCKED THEM TO AINARO WHERE A MAJOR CEREMONY THE MILITARY MARK THE AREA'S ACCEPTANCE OF AUTONOMY EVERY VILLAGE AT BANNERS PRO-AUTONOMY REPORTEDLY HAD PUT UP LESS IN EVIDENCE WERE TROOPS REGULAR BETWEEN DILI AND MAUBISSE Current Class Page CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL 2 Current Class Current Handling Document Number CONFIDENTIAL n a 1999JAKART02672 CONFIDENTI Page Channel n a WE DID OBSERVE ONE-TRUCKLOAD OF SOLDIERS THAN THE MAHIDI ESCORTING A VIP CAR BACK TO DILI FROM THE AINARO CEREMONY 1 MAUBISSE RESIDENTS WERE FEARFUL WHEN APPROACHED BY C 5 IN THE GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO POLOFF AND RELUCTANT TO SPEAK GATHERED AROUND AT THE CLINIC ONE MAN NERVOUSLY TOLD POLOFF WHEN ASKED IF ANYONE AT THAT EVERYONE HERE SUPPORTS AUTONOMY CONFIDENTIAL i 0110032 01 OF 02 02672 JAKART PAGE 04 QUICKLY AND WHISPERED AROUND LOOKED ALL BACKED INDEPENDENCE HE THE CLINIC A SINOFOR CONTRACTOR THE YES THERE ARE SOME BY MILITIA WHO HACKED ACCOSTED BEEN EAST TIMORESE FROM DILI HAD THAT HAD BEEN COMPLEX HOUSING PART OF THE OFF HIS LONG HAIR PERSONNEL WHO OTHER AND DOCTORS PREPARED FOR THE TWO AUSTRALIAN UNACCESSIBLE AND UP LOCKED WILL BE OPERATING THE CLINIC WAS THESE UNITS THE LOCAL CARETAKER SAID THE MAHIDI HAD TAKEN OVER AND WAS IN POSSESSION OF THE KEYS TERROR IN AILEU --------------- B1 B1 C IN AILEU 6 DESCRIBED A CONTINUING REIGN OF TERROR IN THE AREA HIDING AFTER HE HAD RECEIVED DEATH THREATS AND BEEN DRIVEN INTO ATTEMPTED TO THE MILITIA WERE ARRESTING POSED INDEPENDENCE SUPPORTERS AND PEOPLE FROM LONG LISTS 01 OF ANYONE WHO HAD ATTENDED THE STUDENT-SPONSORED DIALOGUES EMPHASIZED THAT AN ATMOSPHERE OF LATE LAST YEAR I AND TERROR EXISTED IN WHICH LOCAL RESIDENTS WERE DENOUN CING THOSE WHO WERE DETAINED WERE TAKEN TO A BETRAYING EACH OTHER CLUBHOUSE ON THE EDGE OF T OWN WHERE THEY WERE SEVERELY BEATEN B1 B11 CONFI DENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 01 ACTION EAP-01 INFO LOG-00 DINT-00 EUR-01 L-01 OPIC-01 SP-00 Current Class JAKART NP-01 DODE-00 FBIE-00 ADS-00 PA-00 STR-00 02672 02 OF 02 AID- 00 DOEE -00 H-01 AC-0 1 PM-0 0 TRSE -00 AMAD-01 WHA-01 TEDE-00 NSAE-00 PRS-00 USIE-00 PTQ675 011003Z ACQ-01 SRPP-00 INR-00 NSCE-00 ACE-00 PMB-00 CIAE-00 DS-00 IO-00 OIC-02 P-00 DSCC-00 SMEC-00 EB-00 LAB-01 OMB-01 SCT-00 PRM-01 Page CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENT 3 Current Class CONFIDENTI CONFIDENTIAL Page Current Handling n aDocument Number DRL-02 4 Channel n a 1999JAKART02672 017W SWCI-00 I SAS-00 NFAT 00 G-00 0110032 38 ------------------ CF39D5 P 010959Z JUN 99 FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8043 INFO ASEAN COLLECTIVE AMEMBASSY BONN AMEMBASSY CANBERRA AMEMBASSY LISBON AMEMBASSY LONDON AMEMBASSY OTTAWA AMEMBASSY ROME AMEMBASSY TOKYO AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON USMISSION GENEVA USMISSION USUN NEW YORK USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI FPA I 1 OF 02 JAKARTA 002672 C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 ROME FOR VATICAN CONFIDENTIAL JAKART PAGE 02 02672 02 OF 02 011003Z E O 12958 DECL 06 01 04 MOPS UN ID TAGS PGOV PHUM PINR EAID MARR COUNTRY MAHIDI SUBJECT EAST TIMOR A FORAY INTO B1 TORTURED WITH ELECTRIC SHOCKS AND ACCCORDING TO TREATED FIVE SEVERELY INJURED THE MARYKNOLL CLINIC RECENTLY HAD MAINTAINED THAT YOUNG MEN WHO HAD BEEN VICTIMIZED SOLDIERS REGULAR INCLUDED THE GROUP CARRYING OUT THESE ABUSES DISTRICT BUPATI THE FROM RAJAWALI UNITS AS WELL AS MILITIA FOR LIVE I AHI CHIEF WAS THE NOMINAL HEAD OF THE LOCAL WAS LEADER OPERATIONAL INTEGRATION MILITIA BUT THE ACTUAL WHO HAD BEEN INVOLVED IN AN THUG LOCAL WELL-KNOWN DESCRIBED AS-A DURING ONE OF HIS VISITS ABORTIVE SCHEME TO ATTACK BISHOP BELO j TO ALIEU LAST YEAR B1 DOCTORS AND PATIENTS THREATENED ------------------------------DOCTORSIWERE OUR CONTACTS SAID SOME GOVERNMENT C 7 MILITIA VIOLENCE OF VICTIMS TREAT INCREASINGLY UNWILLING TO UNDER THREAT IF THEY COMING WERE BECAUSE THE DOCTORS THEMSELVES WAS THE ANOTHER MAJOR CONCERN OF HEALTH PRACTIONERS DID SO URGENTLY EVENIFOR VILLAGES THEIR RELUCTANCE OF PEOPLE TO LEAVE Current Class Page CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENT 4 Current Class CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIA Current Handling n a Document Number Page 5 Channel n a 1999JAKART02672 AT THE MILITIA CHECKPOINTS ANYONE FOUND NEEDED MEDICAL CARE ACCUSED OF WORKING WITH AWAY FROM THEIR HOME VILLAGE COULD BE ACCORDING TO VARIOUS THE GUERRILLAS OR RUNNING AWAY THE VILLAGESITO AVOID FLEEING WERE CONTACTS MANY YOUNG MEN 1 MILITIAS THE INTO BEING FORCIBLY CONSCRIPTED BLOOD OATHS COULD BE A MAJOR FACTOR CONFIDENTIAL 02 OF 02 02672 JAKART PAGE 03 ----------------------------------- 011003Z EMPHASIS ON THE PRO-INTEGRATION FORCES ARE PUTTING GREAT 8 C THE DRINKING OATH CEREMONIES IN WHICH VILLAGERS TAKE A BLOOD AUTONOMY FOR BLOOD OF GOATS OR OTHER ANIMALS TO VOTE PLACE IN VIRT TAKING WERE CEREMONIES SUCH AID TO REFUSE PARTICIPATION WAS TO BE EVERY VILLAGE IN THE AREA ACCORDING TO TRADITIONAL BELIEFS BRANDED PRO-INDEPENDENCE SICK AND DIE IN WHAT ANYONE VIOLATING SUCH AN OATH COULD BECOME THE CHURCH AND SEEMED PART OF THE AGE-OLD STRUGGLE BETWEEN TO CONVINCE ANIMISM IN EAST TIMOR PRIESTS WERE ATTEMPTING BINDING NOT WERE RESIDENTS THAT THESE OATHS IVELY IN THE EXPRESSED CONFIDENCE THAT THE PARISHIONERS VARIOUS THE RESIST WOULD AILEU OF SEAT SOPHISTICATED DISTRICT WISH I E I FORMS OF INTIMIDATION AND VOTE AS THEY GIVEN THE LOW VIEW THEIR IN INDEPENDENCE OVERWHELMINGLY FOR TRADITIONAL BELIEFS EDUCATION LEVELS AND CONTINUING STRENGTH OF MOST PEOPLEILIVE IT IN THE RURAL AREAS OF EAST TIMOR WHERE COULD HAVE A WOULD APPEAR THAT THESE OATH TAKING CEREMONIES EFFECTIVE ANOTHER SAID CONTACTS VOTE SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON THE RESIDENTS LOCAL WARN TO WAS TACTIC OF THE PRO-INTEGRATIONISTS A BLOODBATH THAT REJECTION OF AUTONOMY WOULD GUARANTEE OF THE PRO-AUTONOMY MESSAGE THE PRIMARY REMINISCENT OF 1975-76 PEACE BANNERS WAS THAT AUTONOMY EQUALLED B1 B1 JAVANESE BUPATI BECOMES TRADITIONAL CHIEF ----------------------------------------- B1 DESCRIBED ASIAN OBSCENE 9 C IN WHAT AND AHI LEADER VIOLATION OF LOCAL TRADIONAL CUSTOMS BUPATI HIMSELF CORONATED HAD SUPRAPTO TARMON A TNI OFFICER FROM JAVA CONFIDENTIAL 011003Z 02 OF 02 02672 JAKART PAGE 04 THIS EVENT ON MAY 201 ALLEU OF CHIEF TRADITIONAL AS THE LOCAL NEWSPAPER RECEIVED FRONT-PAGE COVERAGE IN THE DILI CONVINCE RESIDENTS TO ATTEMPT AN WAS MOVE THEORIZED THAT THIS IN CHARGE AND THAT THAT TNI AND THE MILITIAS WERE COMPLETELY Current Class B1 Page CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIA 5 Current Class CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIA Current Handling n a Document Number 6 Page Channel n a 1999JAKART02672 OPPOSITION TO AUTONOMY WAS FRUITLESS WORSE IN THE WEST ---------------- C CONTACTS IN AILEU AND MAUBISSE AS WELL AS IN DILI 10 STRESSED THAT AS BAD AS THE SITUATION WAS IN AILEUTAND AINARO DISTRICTS CONDITIONS WERE FAR WORSE IN THE DISTRICTS TO THE THESE COFFEEWEST INCLUDING ERMERA LIQUICA AND BOBONARO AND IT WAS NCBA FOR AREA NO-GO GROWING DISTRICTS REMAINED A HARVESTED AND BE TO CROP COFFEE STILL IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE CURRENT FOR CONSEQUENCES ECONOMIC PROCESSED A DEVELOPMENT WITH RUINOUS ALSO MILITIAS THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE KILLINGS BY PRO-INTEGRATION WERE SAID TO BE MORE WIDESPREAD IN THE WESTERN AREAS SAID THAT WHILE THE LOCAL MILITIAS WER IDATION BEATINGS AND TORTURE THERE HAD BEEN CARRYING OUT IN 1 B1 NO RECENT KILLINGS IN AILEU ROY CONFIDENTIAL END OF DOCUMENT Current Class Page CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIA 6 This document is from the holdings of The National Security Archive Suite 701 Gelman Library The George Washington University 2130 H Street NW Washington D C 20037 Phone 202 994-7000 Fax 202 994-7005 nsarchiv@gwu edu