Current Class CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL Current Handling n a Document Number Page 1 Channel n a 1999STATE114159 RELEASED IN PART B1 1 4 D PT05063 CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 01 ORIGIN P-00 INFO LOG-00 000R STATE CCO-00 114159 TEDE-00 181231Z ADS-00 SSO-00 DRAFTED BY S S-O JENNIFER MCINTYRE APPROVED BY S S-0 CJSANDROLINI ------------------D6C3B6 SS-00 SAS-00 181232Z 38 0 181227Z JUN 99 FM SECSTATE WASHDC INFO AMEMBASSY BONN IMMEDIATE C O N F I D E N T I A L STATE 114159 PLS PASS TO U S PICKERING'S PARTY TOPOL NO 70167 FOLLOWING JAKARTA 3005 DATED 18 JUNE 99 SENT ACTION SECSTATE INFO ASEAN COLLECTIVE BONN CANBERRA OTTAWA LISBON ROME TOKYO SECDEF WELLINGTON GENEVA USCINCPAC BEING REPEATED FOR YOUR INFO QUOTE C O N F I D E N T I A L JAKARTA 0 0 3 0 0 5 ROME FOR VATICAN SECDEF FOR ISA SHER E O 12958 DELL 06 18 04 TAGS PREL PGOV PHUM PINK MOPS UN ID SUBJECT EAST TIMOR A SCORCHED EARTH POLICY CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 1 U STATE 114159 181231Z CLASSIFIED BY POLCOUNS EDMUND MCWILLIAMS REASON 1 5 D SUMMARY 2 C SUMMARY I BASED ON REPORTS FROM UNAMET I AND VISITING POLOFF' 5 VIXI i T T'THE INDONESIAN MILITARY AND PRO- Current Class CONFIDENTIAL UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE REVIEW AUTHORITY CHARLES E LAHIGUERA CLASSIFICATION CONFIDENTIAL REASON 1 4 D DECLASSIFY AFTER 17 JUN 2024 DATE CASE ID 16 JUL 2004 200300722 CONF IDENTIAL Page 1 Current Class CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL Page 2 Current Handling n a Document Number 1999STATE114159 Channel n a INTEGRATION MILITIAS WORKING TOGETHER CLOSELY ARE CARRYING OUT A SCORCHED EARTH POLICY IN THE DISTRICT OF LIQUICA AND ITS ENVIRONS AMONG THE THOUSANDS OF REFUGEES DISPLACED AS A RESULT THE MOST SERIOUS PROBLEM IS DISEASE RESIDENTS OF THIS AREA REMAIN TOO FRIGHTENED TO SPEAK WITH FOREIGNERS BASED ON HIS OWN DIRECT OBSERVATIONS THE UNAMET CHIEF HAS MADE HIS MOST DIRECT ALLEGATIONS TO DATE OF TNI LINKS TO MILITIA ACTIVITIES EVEN SPECIFYING DESIGNATIONS OF THE UNITS INVOLVED END SUMMARY CLIMATE OF FEAR PERSISTS IN LIQUICA 3 C POLOFF VISITED LIQUICA AND MAUBARA ON JUNE 16 AT THE TOWN'S WESTERN APPROACH SOME 40 TO SO BESI MERAH-PUTIH MILITIA WERE IN FORMATION SALUTING THE INDONESIAN FLAG AT THE CHURCH COMPOUND IN LIQUICA SITE OF THE KILLINGS IN APRIL THE HOUSE OF THE PASTOR WAS ABANDONED HE REMAINS IN DILI DUE TO FEARS FOR HIS SECURITY ANOTHER PRIEST WHO WAS STILL IN THE HOUSE IN EARLY JUNE PROTECTED BY AN ARMY OF CHILDREN IS NO LONGER PRESENT XPLAINED THAT THE GROUP OF MOSTLY WOMEN CHILDREN AND OLD MEN GATHERED IN THE CHURCHYARD INCLUDED MANY DISPLACED SHE QUICKLY MOVED AWAY HOWEVER OBVIOUSLY CONFIDENTIAL 114159 PAGE 03 STATE 181231Z UNCOMFORTABLE ABOUT SPEAKING TO POLOFF AT A NEARBY CHURCH FACILITY AS SUPERVISING SOME 50 YOUNG CHILDREN HE SAID CHURCH WORKERS HAD SUCCEEDED IN BRINGING THESE CHILDREN IN FROM THE MILITIA PLACE A REFERENCE TO AN EXTENSIVE MILITIA-CONTROLLED AREA SOUTH OF LIQUICA CONTAINING THOUSANDS OF DISPLACED FOR THE DAY TO BE PROVIDED FOOD AND MEDICAL CARE HE IMPLORED POLOFF NOT TO SPEAK WITH ANYONE IN THE LIQUICA-MAUBARA AREA IF YOU WANT TO FIND OUT WHAT IS GOING ON HERE PLEASE TALK TO PEOPLE IN DILI HE URGED B1 DEVASTATION BETWEEN LIQUICA AND MAUBARA --------------------------------------4 C POLOFF CONTINUED A FURTHER 15 KILOMETERS TO MAUBARA THROUGH A SCENE OF UTTER DEVASTATION ALMOST EVERY HOUSE HAD BEEN BURNED OR DISMANTLED AND JUDGING BY THE APPEARANCE OF THE ASHES SOME OF THE BURNINGS WERE QUITE RECENT POLCOUNS HAD TRAVERSED THIS AREA A FEW WEEKS BEFORE AND FOUND ABOUT 30 PERCENT OF THE HOUSES DESTROYED NOW IT WAS MORE LIKE 90 PERCENT GROUPS OF FORLORN PEOPLE INCLUDING ENTIRE FAMILIES WALKED ALONG THE SIDE OF THE ROAD HOUSES STILL STANDING ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF LIQUICA SOME PARTIALLY DESTROYED WERE OVERCROWDED Current Class Page CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL 2 Current Class CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL Page 3 Current Handling n a Document Number 1999STATE114159 Channel n a 1 WITH DOZENS OF PEOPLE TAKING SHELTER IN A SINGLE DWELLING SCORCHED EARTH IN THE MOUNTAIN VILLAGES REPORTS ARE BEGINNING TO EMERGE FROM THE MOUNTAINOUS 5 C AREA SOUTH OF LIQUICA WHICH HAS BEEN VIRTUALLY CLOSED OFF FROM THE OUTSIDE WORLD SINCE APRIL JUDGING'BY THE ACCOUNTS OF CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 04 STATE 114159 181231Z WHO HAVE ENTERED UNAMET THIS AREA IN THE PAST WEEK THE MILITIAS ACCOMPANIED BY REGULAR TNI FORCES HAVE ENGAGED IN A SCORCHED EARTH CAMPAIGN WHICH HAS COMPLETELY EMPTIED MOST VILLAGES IN THE AREA REPORT VILLAGES ABANDONED OVER A WIDE AREA WITH MOST OF THE HOUSES BURNED THEY IREPORT THAT MOST OF THE YOUNG MEN HAVE FLED UP THE MOUNTAIN INTO FALINTIL CONTROLLED AREAS WHILE THE WOMEN ELDERLY AND CHILDREN HAVE DESCENDED TO THE LOWLANDS AROUND LIQUICA AND MAUBARA THE USAID-SUPPORTEDED COFFEE PROJECT HAS BEEN COMPELLED TO CEASE OPERATIONS IN THESE HIGHLANDS DUE TO THE OVERALL SECURITY SITUATION AND THE DIFFICULTY IN PERSUADING THEIR WORKERS TO ENTER THESE AREAS ACCORDING TO LOCAL PRESS REPORTS SEVERAL TRUCKS CONTRACTED BY THE PROJECT WERE COMMANDEERED ON JUNE 11 AND THEIR DRIVERS WERE ABDUCTED AND BEATEN 1 B1 GRATUITOUS VIOLENCE 6 C B1 IN A JUNE 17 DISCUSSION WITH POLOFF WHO WAS IN EAST TIMOR JUNE 1517 SAID OUND THAT GROUPS COMPOSED OF THREE OR FOUR MILITIA COMBINED WITH THREE OR FOUR REGULAR MILITARY HAD CARRIED OUT BURNINGS OF HOUSES AND BEATINGS OF VILLAGERS IN THIS AREA D ACCOMPANIED A UNAMET TEAM INTO THE AREA THE PREVIO G STRESSED THAT EVIDENCE FROM THIS GATHERED TRIP SUGGESTED THAT MUCH OF THIS VIOLENCE IS GRATUITOUS HE CITED THE EXAMPLE OF A 75-YEAR OLD MAN HE ENCOUNTERED WHO COULD NOT POSSIBLY HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN FALINTIL ACTIVITY BUT WHO NEVERTHELESS HAD BEEN SHOT THROUGH CONFIDENTIAL B1 B1 PAGE 05 181231Z STATE 114159 THE ARM HE HAD ALSO SEEN PILES OF CLOTHING AND VILLAGERS' POSSESSIONS WHICH HAD BEEN BURNED BY THE MILITIA MILITARY PERSONNEL Current Class CONFIDENTIAL Page CONFIDENTIAL 3 Current Class CONFIDENTIAL Current Handling n a Document Number 1999STATE114159 CONFIDENTIAL Page Channel 4 n a OME 7--9 000 PEOPLE DISPLACED FROM ACCORDING TO 7 C THE HIGH COUNTRY SOUTH OF LIQ1 CA NOW WERE SEEKING REFUGE ON THE BACK SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN I E NORTH OF ERMERA THIS IS IN ADDITION TO THE REPORTED 15 000 DISPLACED IN THE LOW COUNTRY SAID THAT AMONG THESE AROUND LIQUICA AND MAUBARA DISPLACED MANY OF WHOM WERE SLEEPING IN THE FOREST THE MAIN PROBLEM WAS DISEASE MALARIA TUBERCULOSIS AND RESPIRATORY HE SAID PEOPLE GENERALLY WERE ABLE TO AILMENTS NOT HUNGER OBTAIN FOOD IN THIS RELATIVELY FERTILE AREA BUT THERE WAS NO MEDICINE AVAILABLE TO TREAT THEIR AILMENTS B1 B1 UNAMET VERSION 8 C ACCORDING TO A WESTERN JOURNALIST UNAMET CHIEF IAN MARTIN TOLD THE PRESS ON JUNE 18 THAT A JOINT UNAMET-ICRC TEAM ENCOUNTERED THREE SEPARATE GROUPS OF BESI MERAH PUTIH MILITIA ACCOMPANIED BY AND INDEED DIRECTED BY TNI SOLDIERS CARRYING OUT HE DESCRIBED MILITIA AS BURNING OPERATIONS IN THE AREA PERSONAL PROPERTY ASSAULTING AN OLD MAN AND SEEKING TO DRIVE A JOURNALIST AT THE BRIEFING VILLAGERS OUT OF LEOTELA VILLAGE TOLD US THAT MARTIN IDENTIFIED THE TNI UNIT WORKING WITH THE MILITIA UNIT AS BEING FROM ARMY POST NO 5 OF THE 143 BN AT THIS IS MARTIN TOLD THE JOURNALISTS EBENO PHONETIC EXACTLY THE KIND OF INCIDENT OF WHICH WE HAVE RECEIVED EXTENSIVE HE ADDED THAT THIS INCIDENT HELPED TO EXPLAIN REPORTS EXTENSIVE INTERNAL DISPLACEMENT OF PEOPLE WHO WERE NOT IN CONFIDENTIAL 181231Z 114159 STATE PAGE 06 CONCENTRATIONS BUT ARE BEING DRIVEN FROM ONE VILLAGE TO BUT IT IS CLEAR ' HE CONTINUED THAT THERE ARE TENS ANOTHER THOUSANDS OF INTERNALLY DISPLACED PEOPLE AT THE MOMENT GIVING OF RISE TO VERY SERIOUS HUMANITARIAN CONCERNS AND ALSO OF COURSE A SERIOUS OBSTACLE TO THE REGISTRATION EXERCISE WHICH IS THE FIRST MAJOR PRACTICAL PART OF THE CONSULTATION GONG UNQUOTE COHEN CONFIDENTIAL END OF DOCUMENT - Current Class Page 4 CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL 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 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