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Alert

CPJ condemns journalist's killing, gunmen identified in news reports

(CPJ/IFEX) - CPJ strongly condemns the recent killing of Indonesian
journalist Agus Muliawan, who was among a group of nine church workers
massacred on Saturday, 22 September 1999 as they traveled to Baucau from
Lospalos, East Timor. The gunmen were identified in Western news reports as
Indonesian troops or pro-Indonesian militia members.


The 26 year-old Muliawan is the second journalist killed in East Timor in
the past ten days: Sander Thoenes, 30, a Dutch correspondent for the
"Financial Times", was shot outside Dili on 21 September. Muliawan had been
working in Dili since February on a television documentary about Falintil,
the largest East Timorese guerrilla group favoring independence from
Indonesia, for the Tokyo-based news agency Asia Press International. The
journalist was Balinese, and had established working relationships with many
Indonesian military officials.

Muliawan was traveling by van with a group that included the head of the
Caritas Roman Catholic aid agency, two students from a local seminary, two
nuns, two assistants to the nuns and a driver, according to Western news
reports. The gunmen apparently ambushed the group after nightfall in the
town of Com, as they drove from Lospalos, where they had been on a
humanitarian mission, to Baucau. Seven bodies were found floating in the
Raomoko River thirty-eight miles from Baucau. Two bodies were found in the
van, which had been pushed into the river.

Muliawan's death came only days after the UN Human Rights Commission voted
to establish an inquiry into possible atrocities committed in East Timor.
Although security responsibility for East Timor has officially been handed
over to UN peacekeepers, CPJ has reminded President Habibie that the
Indonesian government is responsible for the activities of all remaining
Indonesian military and paramilitary forces in East Timor as well as West
Timor, where many militia groups are based and which remains under full
Indonesian government control.

Indonesian troops, along with the pro-Jakarta militias that they armed and
trained, are widely reported to have been involved in the many recent
attacks on journalists, foreign aid workers and villagers around Dili.
During the week of 20 September, for example, "Sunday Times" reporter Jon
Swain and Chip Hires of the Paris-based Gamma photo agency were ambushed in
the eastern town of Baucau by gunmen wearing Indonesian military uniforms.
The two journalists were later rescued by Australian troops (see IFEX alert
of 21 September 1999).

Recommended Action

Send appeals to the president:

stating that you hold his government responsible for any attacks on
journalists committed by members of Indonesian military or paramilitary
forces operating in East and West Timor

respectfully urging his administration to demonstrate its commitment to
press freedom by making every effort to ensure the safety of journalists
reporting in East and West Timor during this volatile period

Send appeals to the UNAMET representative:

urging protection for the many foreign and local journalists working in
East Timor, since responsibility for the security of East Timor has
officially been handed over to UN peacekeepers

stating that journalists are the international community's eyes and ears
in East Timor and that as Indonesian troops withdraw and militia attacks
persist, it is imperative that reporters in the field be able to perform
their professional duties safely

respectfully urging UN forces in East Timor to investigate Muliawan's
murder, to detain those responsible for his death, and to make every effort
to ensure the safety of all journalists reporting in the area during this
volatile period

Appeals To

His Excellency Bacharuddin Jusuf Habibie
President, Republic of Indonesia
Office of the President
Bina Graha, Jalan Veteran No. 17
Jakarta Pusat, Indonesia
Fax: +62 21 778 182

Ian Martin
Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of Mission
UNAMET Headquarters
Mitchell Street
Darwin, Northern Territory
Australia 0810
Fax: +61 88 941 8710

Please copy appeals to the source if possible.

Source:

Committee to Protect Journalists
330 7th Ave., 11th Floor
New York, NY 10001
USA
info (@) cpj.org
Phone: +1 212 465 1004
Fax: +1 212 465 9568

 

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