News

Human Rights Abuses and Complaints on the International Forces. 13^th October, 2006

Australian Defense Force

Incidents began on the 27^th May; the ADF arrived on the 26^th May.

Some incidents occurred when ADF were supposed to be responding to calls for assistance, also when weapon searches were/are conducted.

Complaints include heavy handed tactics being used, for example kicking peoples doors down while screaming ‘you fucking Lorosae terrorists, you’re all communists, you all have weapons’. Searches often made late in the evening when children are sleeping. Many mothers, including working mothers, have taken children back to the districts because of this treatment. Kitchen utensils were taken from Loro Mata.

Complaints have been made that the ADF sometimes allow thugs threatening residents in barrios to leave, then conduct searches for weapons in the homes of the people calling for assistance. Many people decided it was pointless calling the ADF to incidents, they prefer to try to protect themselves from thugs.

Abusive wording is interchangeable, for example in Kampung Baru – I was told the soldiers shouted, ‘Are you from Lorosae,’ on confirmation, ‘you fucking bastards, your all terrorists, we’re gonna look for weapons.’

Places of reported incidents are:

Banana Road 27^th May, 2006

Loro Mata from the 4^th June – till now

Comoro Market from the 4^th June – till now

Bidau complaints received on the 16^th June, re several incidents

Pantai Kelapa 18^th June, 2006

Delta from the middle of June - till middle of July

Kampung Baru from the middle of June - till middle of July.

Above complaints are mainly made by people from the eastern area of Timor Leste, (Loro Sae), and relate to abusive language and heavy handed tactics.

The Airport – An incident occurred on the 5^th June, 2006, (about 12 o’clock). I was attending the first GPPAC meeting; two friends rang to say they could not attend because they had been forced to seek shelter in the airport; thugs were firing on civilians near the airport. Australian soldiers entered the airport shouting, ‘Fucking terrorists, its those fucking Loro Sae terrorists again’, at the time people from the eastern and western part of Timor Leste were living in the airport as displaced people.

Fatima – in Fatima there were many incidents, and threats by thugs – because of this on the 10^th June. Phylis Ferguson asked ADF to put a checkpoint on Fatima, two days later a woman was shot with a bow and arrow. A checkpoint had not been put on.

Farol – Complaint that the ADF stopped office workers on their way home – about 9 p.m. The workers were asked where they were from, when they replied Farol the ADF said, ‘oh, you mean near the house of the ex prime minister”, this was the 24^th June, two days before Mari Alkatiri resigned. My source said she did not like the ADF meddling in Timor Leste politics in this way.

There have been complaints that when the ADF search IDP camps for weapons, they only search tents of IDP’s (Internally Displaced Persons – refugees) from the area that Xanana deemed Loro Sae – ADF first establishing which district the IDP’s come from. I witnessed this in the IDP camp in the church at Motael, on the 29^th June.

On the 31^st July, an IDP living in Farrol told me they were asked the previous week by someone from the ADF if they were from Loro Mono or Loro Sae.

Incident on the 1^st August, 2006 – around 1.00 a.m. 10 Timorese were detained/arrested in Bebenock, nr. Comoro Road, for 72 hours. Detained because the ADF said they had illegal weapons, (small sticks to try and protect their families because they had heard there was going to be an attack on their community.) Witnesses said, ADF taped the hand of the Timorese behind their backs, made them squat on the ground, facing a wall. They were not allowed to speak to try to explain why they had sticks, allowed to go to the toilet, but with hands still taped. An Australian woman living in the community tried to intervene on their behalf, she was also detained for 1 hour, and her hands were also taped behind her back. There was an attempt to take her phone by one of the soldiers. The soldiers were under the command of Sergeant Mitchel, The Timorese were taken to the detention centre, Rocky (nick name of the Australian witness) was not. I was informed she was not allowed to phone for assistance. All the Timorese came from Los Palos.

Loro Mata on the 6^th August, a door was kicked down by ADF; they had been called by residence because thugs were throwing stones. ADF went in with guns raised, shouting at inhabitants, ‘get back get back, you’re fucking Loro Sae terrorists in here.’

On the 20^th August, outside the airport 4 ADF soldiers with Alsatian dogs, charged through women and children, milling around after a church service. Some people were waiting to meet family and friends from the next incoming flight. The ADF charged twice screaming, ‘move, move, move,’ their large dogs were jumping up at terrified small children. I asked ‘what’s the problem, are you looking for guns or drugs’. They answered ‘no, its crowd control.’

On the weekend of the 9^th/10^th Sept, ADF arrested 6 people in the displaced people’s camp outside the airport, not sure why they were arrested, but two of the arrestees were punched in the face. Ramos-Horto was met by a delegation from the IDP’s re this instance; it was reported on TV news.

Last week, sorry was not given the exact date, a worker at the airport who had a Fretelin badge on his jacket, was called a fucking Loro Sae terrorist by members of the ADF. He understood English very well and asked why they said that to him, they mumbled something and walked off.

It is very difficult to give specific dates of all instances in Dili; people often make complaints of several incidents at the same time. Although I know the names of people who have complained, they ask that their names are not revealed to other sources, they are afraid this could lead to further problems.

In Los Palos town and parts of Lautem, complaints were made to the District Administrator, that when the ADF asked people if they had weapons, ADF told people that in Lautem area you are all terrorists and communists. Because of this harrassment F-TDL were asked to accompany the ADF to other villages. Commanders from the ADF originally came to Los Palos on the 14^th June, 2006 – Signor Olavio da Costa said there were no problems on that day; they came to tell him a battalion would be arriving on the 16^th June, to check that Lautem area was free of weapons. The harassment occurred between the16^th and 19^th June, 2006.

There were some reports of the ADF telling people in the Lautem area to change their allegiance – not able to find sufficient evidence to support this, but will continue investigations.

Complaints have been made of the ADF asking people in Dili if they are from Lorosae or Loro Mono – same time scale as above, complaints from many barrio's.

Complaints have been made of the ADF being slow to respond to emergency calls in Dili, and that the emergency number is often not answered or is turned off. I can confirm this.

Complaints have been made that the ADF watch houses burning or being destroyed, it is said that they do little to stop fighting between gangs in Dili, complaints started on the 27^th May and are ongoing – houses are still being destroyed and burnt in Dili and people are being attacked on a daily basis.

Incidents reported to the ADF liaison officers did not seem to be taken seriously.

Human rights complaints on the Malaysian Armed forces.

On the 30^th June, 2006 - Gill from Los Palos was beaten up in the street, in front of the IDP’s staying at the Arti Morris School. When Gabby went to complain, the Malaysian soldiers said, ‘okay we will take him to the hospital truck’, which they did. Gabby intervened again when she heard screams coming from the truck some of the Malaysian troops were beating Gill with sticks. Gabby told me Gill had visiable black and blue marks. Gill was eventually taken to the police station.

In Dom Bosco there have been complaints of the Malaysian soldiers sexually harassing some of the women.

Complaints on the GNR

There have been complaints that the GNR have rough handled people when arresting them.

Fatahado - (date to be given) GNR responded to an attack, said they would solve the problem and then beat the suspects.

Monitoring is continuing.

Lidia Catherine Tindle. Dili East Timor