Timor-Leste National Alliance for an International Tribunal (ANTI)

Dear Friends in ANTI,

On behalf of the IKOHI and the victims and relatives of victims of human rights violation in Indonesia within IKOHI, I would like to utter and express our support and solidarity for those still struggling for truth and justice.

We believe that despite the politics of forgetting that your government embraces, your spirits and the spirits of the victims who are still struggling will be flame of the struggle for truth, justice, liberty and peace not only in your country, but also in our country Indonesia.

We in Indonesia are also struggling for the resolution of the case of disappearances of pro democracy activists in 1997/1998. Even today, November 13, we are also commemorating the Semanggi event, the shooting of students in Semanggi, Jakarta 9 years ago.

So lets hand in hand in this struggle, because it is only when we are united that we will be able to overcome.

"We still remember, never forget, the Santa Cruz Massacre!"
Wiji Thukul once said:

Di hati rakyatmu,
tersebut namamu selalu
di hatiku
aku penyair mendirikan tugu
meneruskan pekik salammu
"a luta continua."

kita tidak sendirian
kita satu jalan
tujuan kita satu ibu:pembebasan!


In solidarity,

Mugiyanto
Ikatan Keluarga Orang Hilang Indonesia - IKOHI
Indonesian Association of Families of the Disappeared
A member organization of the Asian Federation against Involuntary Disappearances - AFAD
Jl. Kalasan Dalam No. 5, Pegangsaan, Jakarta Pusat 10320
Telp/Fax: +62-21-3157915
Email: kembalikan@yahoo.com, Web: www.ikohi.blogspot.com
INDONESIA

Timor-Leste National Alliance for an International Tribunal (ANTI)
Secretariate National NGO Forum, Caicoli, Dili, Timor-Leste
Telephone +670-728-4602

Press Release

Chega Debate, Points to the Cemetery Where the Santa Cruz Massacre Occurred,
Judge the Perpetrators of the Crimes Now ….!!!

Today we are all thinking back on the major event which took place 17 years ago, thinking anew about an event with significant impact for our youth and which woke up the international community. We know that our independence was not a gift from the invading nation not from the international community, rather our independence came from all our people’s sacrifices, and the sacrifices of those who gave their lives for the liberty of our country. Since the liberation of our country, in the past eight years the victims of the Santa Cruz massacre have yet to achieve truth or justice, those responsible from the invading Indonesian military who committed grave crimes have yet to be brought before a court and judged. Worse yet, our leaders in Timor-Leste have launched cheap propaganda claiming we must forget our past suffering because Timor-Leste no longer needs justice.

Deputies in the National Parliament currently prioritize discussion on the purchase of luxury cars for their use rather than give importance to the Chega Report. As families of the victims, we will never forget and remain sad today due to the loss of so many loved ones taken from us. Even sadder because until today we do not know where our loved ones were buried; where are the remains of those who gave their lives on that day? Why have they not only lost their lives, but also their bodies have disappeared? Because of this, the victims’ families will not be silent but continue to call for those who took the lives of our loved ones to take responsibility for their action. We are independent but still searching for the truth and justice to satisfy those of us who lost so many of our loved ones. Consequently, ANTI makes the following demands:

We demand the Indonesian Government reveal where those killed in the Santa Cruz Massacre of November 12, 1991 are buried as truth telling to the victims’ families.

We demand the Timor-Leste National Parliament give priority to discussing the CAVR or Chega Report in November 2008!

We demand the governments of Timor-Leste and Indonesia judge, in a court of law that is impartial and just, the perpetrators of the crimes of the Santa Cruz Massacre as a means to end the chain of impunity in Timor-Leste and Indonesia .

We demand the United Nations take the perpetrators of the Santa Cruz Massacre before an international tribunal as a step towards fulfilling the process of democratization, reconciliation and friendship between Indonesia and Timor-Leste.

We demand that the government of Timor-Leste give priority to justice, to prevent the growing impunity in our country.

If there is no justice, reconciliation is not viable;
If there is not truth, democracy is not viable;
Peace and development will remain illusive throughout our country if justice does not exist!