Bere Returned to Indonesia: Amnesty International and National Civil Society Condemn the Move.

For more than two months the case of Maternus Bere has created scandal for the Timor-Leste Presidency, Government, National Parliament and civil society.

On Friday afternoon 30 October 2009 the Indonesian Embassy called the Minister of Justice Lucia Lobato to inform her that Maternus Bere has been sent back to Indonesia.

“On 30th, last Friday, I have received information from the Indonesian Embassy which to informed the Government that Maternus Bere's health situation was getting worse,” said Lucia Lobato. 

The Minister of Jusktice tried to convince the public that it was for humanitarian reasons that the Government let Bere out of prison.

“Because of the Humanitarian reason I think we can concede to this situation. Once again after we have past through a long process I would like appeal to all the Timorese people for their understanding to see this case as the one which is in the national interest.”

Lobato stated that “He is suffering from three or four kinds of illness such as kidney ailments, Tifu Afudu (Portuguese language), malaria and high blood pressure and the Indonesians were very preoccupied with his health situation also the medical team have went to do test in the embassy,” Lucia said

“The Indonesian Government placed alot of attention on the matter as bere is their citizen so with urgency they have evacuated Maternus Bere out of Timor-Leste into Indonesia on Friday last week.”

However, the Minister of Justice would not give details at the press conference stating that, “there were a lot of concerns and the Government have to give full information to the public which willing to know the last details information of maternus Bere's case.”

She reiterated that, “at this moment Maternus Bere is in Indonesia and he has left Timor-Leste on 30 October last and he is no longer in the Indonesian Embassy.”

“We all know that we have dealt with a big issue in regard to Maternus Beres Case,” Justice Minister Lucia Lobato informed journalist in Dili today.

She said that, “We have confronted a difficult situation.” But she praised the ability of Timorese to solving their own problem as, “Once again it shows that Timor-Leste can resolve our own problem even we have a lot of challenges but we can overcome this situation.”

The Opposition party in the National Parliament alleged that the Government help Martenus Bere to escape from justice.

Minister Lobato rejected to give any comment to the allegations and she only referred to the Prime Minister Gusmao's statement before the Parliament during the motion debate last month. “I think I will not come here to explain again this case because we all must informed by the PM's declaration before the parliament,” Lucia said.

Lucia Lobato doesn't know when Maternus Bere left Timor Leste but she only confirmed that she was informed by the Indonesian Embassy in Dili on Friday Last week.

“I don't know whether he has left on Friday morning or he was still in Dili when they informed me.” She told the journalists if they want more details to ask the Indonesian Embassy.

But the civil society and youth groups disagree with the government position. 

Just more or less a hundred meter from the government building a large group of young people were preparing to celebrate the anniversary of the Santa Cruz massacre in 12 November 1991 in which Indonesian security forces massacred over 300 people.

These groups have photo exhibitions to remind the Timorese younger generation that many people are still missing and the families have not found their remains.

Edio Saldanha a member from the organising committee said the justice must occur in order to prevent more violence in the future.

“In relation to Maternus Bere case we are also not satisfied and do not accept the Government's position.”

“He [Bere] was involved in  [the Suai Church] massacre in which three priests, and many people were killed and there were also many sexual assaults against our sisters in the past.  And now our leaders like President Horta and Prime Minister Gusmao released him in violation of our laws - and the Prime Minister even said so in the National Parliament - so the act is in violation of our laws" explained Mr. Saldanha

Edio said, “We demand the Prosecutor General start to process these violations of our law and our Constitution."

"The release of Maternus Bere is viewed as insult to the justice system in Timor-Leste and Government gives priority to the militia and pro Autonomy people then justice for the victims of TNI and pro Jakarta Militia.{ “We can see from this means the state does not give justice to the victims,” said Mr. Saldanha.

On 19 October this year Mr. Saldanha himself me with with the survivor and relatives of the victims of the Suai church massacre. The people are very concern about Maternus Bere released and feel that the state is not concern about the justice for the victims.

“They feel sad and angry because the government took decision without consulting with them, the leaders made a decision which is against the law. The leaders always said everybody must be same before the law but later they released Maternus Bere this is make people are sad because the woman lost their husband, the kids suffer trauma because they lost their father, the parents angry because their children were killed so if there is no justice like today they promised if there any other militia member came again better we kill them as they did to our love ones. Means and eye for an eye because they killed our relatives they are still free means when we get killed any militia the government have to let us free as well.”

Amnesty international sent a three paragraph statement to Tempo Semanal stating that, “The transfer to Indonesia of this fugitive from justice perpetuates the pattern of impunity for crimes against humanity and other crimes which occurred during Indonesian occupation of East Timor. Both the Indonesian and Timor-Leste governments appear unwilling to uphold the rule of law and ensure that perpetrators of crimes against humanity are brought to justice, in clear violation of international human rights law and standards.”

In the weeks before Bere's release Amnesty International issued a recommendation to the United Nations Security Council to establish an international tribunal for Timor-Leste.  This agered President Horta, B=Nobel Peace prize winner.

”In this context, Amnesty International renews its call to the United Nations Security Council to step in and establish an international criminal tribunal to bring to justice all those responsible for crimes under international law between 1975 and 1999 in Timor-Leste and to ensure reparations to the victims."

“Over 300 individuals who were indicted by the UN Special Panels for Serious Crimes for crimes against humanity and other crimes remain at large and are outside the territorial jurisdiction of Timor-Leste. It is believed that most of them live in Indonesia. The Indonesian government has so far refused to facilitate the extradition of those indicted on the basis that it did not recognize the UN mandate to try Indonesian citizens in Timor-Leste.'[Amnesty International]

The release of Maternus Bere on 30/08/2009 from Becora Prison and transfered to the Indonesian Embassy in Dili angered various groups in Timorese society. 

Hours after the release of Maternus Bere the President appealed for peoplel to forget the past and declared publicly that there will be no International Tribunal for the past crimes in Timor-Leste.  The authorities dispersed a demonstration in front of Hotel Timor and arrested several studnt demonstrators who were calling for an International Tribunal

In September 2009 the National Parliament voted against allowing the President to leave the country to attend the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

President Horta threatened to resign in reaction to this move by Parliament. The next day on 08/09/09 Parliament acceded and voted to allow Horta to travel.

The High Court President Claudio Ximenes said that those who released Bere have committed crimes and has called for an investigation

In mid October Opposition Parties generated a Motion to Censure the Government in Parliament over the Bere case.  Appearing before Parliament Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao accepted responsibility for the release but claimed it was legal as it was not a release but a transfer.  AMP/Government Members of Parliament who form a majority in the legislature defeated the opposition motion to censure.

Maternus Bere came to Suai on 05/08/2009 for some family reasons but he was threatened to be beat up by the locals on 08/08/2009 after the Sunday church ceremony in the same church were he and his man gun downed 3 priests and many Timorese refugees on 06/09/1999.

TL State Gives Way for ex-Militia to Abuse Justice

This is the English Translation of Tempo Semanal's exclusive feature story on the Maternus Bere case first published on 28 September 2009 in both print and internet.

TL State Gives Way for ex-Militia to Abuse Justice

Maternus Bere was born in Auren, Suai, on April 1 1956. During the Indonesian occupation, he was a teacher near this village, but when this small nation was preparing for the referendum on 30 August 1999, Maternus Bere left this position for the Laksaur militia.

According to information from a Tempo Semanal correspondent in Suai, Maternus Bere was well-known and got along with his students.

Yet when he became involved in Laksaur, he became hostile in his anti-independence stance, and many civilians became victims of his behaviour.

To resolve Bere’s case and those of human rights violations in 1999, the then-President Kay Rala Xanana Gusmao travelled to Bali on 29 May 2004 to meet TNI ex-general Wiranto.

This discussion created big issues with many people as all people want justice for the human rights violations which occurred during the Indonesian occupation. These issues were magnified when Gusmao met with the Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudohono on 9 March 2005 to sign the Truth and Friendship Commission agreement, which contravened the principles set out by the Commission for Reception, Truth and Reconciliation (aka., CAVR).

Yet the former Minister for Foreign Affairs and current President has always questioned civil society’s persistence in establishing an international tribunal on grounds that Timor-Leste’s diplomatic priority is to maintain friendship between the people of these two nations – not to bring about justice.

Due to this, Maternus Bere’s attack on Ave Maria Parish in Suai on 6 September 1999—which killed Fathers Hilario Madeira, Dewanto, Francisco and many other civilians—is not likely to have much political influence in our leaders’ hearts. From this perspective, Timor-Leste doesn’t have much chance of holding former militia Maternus Bere to justice because its heads of state and government haven’t fully given importance to immigration law or a penal code in Timor-Leste.

Political—rather than legal or moral—decisions meant that on 29 July 2009, Maternus Bere approached the Indonesian Department of Immigration in Atambua to acquire a visa to visit his birthplace. Thus, on 5 August 2009, he crossed the border to visit Suai with permission from the Department and from the Timor-Leste police.

On 8 August 2009 in Suai, Maternus Bere attended Mass in a local church. He left during the ceremony to visit the burial site of Father Hilario and, with a heavy heart, reached for the cross above the grave. A Suai youth named Watu said Bere felt frustrated and sad with his behaviour in 1999.

When he initially saw Bere, Watu attempted to hit him, but was unsure as they were at a church. Yet after leaving the church, Maternus Bere walked to a local market and Watu attempted to hit him.

Upon seeing this, nearby PNTL and UNPOL officers apprehended Watu because they didn’t know who Bere was, and asked Watu to explain his actions.

Watu then explained to police that Bere was a mlitia commander who was involved in a grave crime during 1999 and, as such, the security authorities were surprised at not having captured Bere, who’d returned to his home in Leogore.

When this newspaper approached a victim who wished to be known only as “DA” and other civilians involved in Bere’s capture, DA said, “We feel angry towards the Government and don’t’ like the UN’s behaviour”. DA is a survivor from the massacre on 6 September 1999 who was present during the recent occurrences in Suai market.

“I saw Marternus start shouting [at Watu] near the market, and then we, the victims, captured this criminal and then gave him to the PNTL and UNPOL.  At the time, they didn’t know who Maternus Bere was in order to bring justice, but the Government has [now] not delivered justice and the UN has washed its hands of the affair,” DA continued.

“When the day comes that we find another militia from Laksaur, we’ll undoubtedly take our own judgement with our hands,” DA declared.

After being in a holding cell for three days, the police brought Maternus Bere to Dili, where he entered block one of Becora prison on 12 August 2009. Bere’s capture has shown the community’s contribution to justice.

Yet Timor-Leste’s Head of State and Head of Government—who speak loudly that the people must contribute to justice—are now trying to close the path for the people to contribute to justice. The UN itself always speaks out about peace and justice, but for all its sweet-talk its actions are very much in vain, because one part of the UN asks for justice, but the other part has been involved with dispersing the Serious Crimes Unit. Because of this, the UN’s mission in Timor-Leste appears to be a big boss who comes to supervise millions and millions of dollars’ worth of projects, all to deliver various reports to Geneva.

It’s the same with what deputies are currently doing in National Parliament. They position themselves as representatives of the people, but they speak more of their parties’ interests than those of the people. The young, intelligent AMP deputy alone gave respect to those who captured Bere, but they simply shout back when the opposition criticises the Chief of State’s decisions.

Maternus Bere exited Becora prison on 30 August 2009, the commemoration of Timor-Leste’s referendum. The President celebrated this historic day by giving medals to those who’ve contributed to this nation, but he and the Prime Minister also—very quietly—gave Maternus Bere his liberty from Becora prison.

According to Tempo Semanal’s sources, the Minister of Justice telephoned a prison staff member and the source known as “DA” to release Maternus Bere, and members of PNTL (under the command of Sub-Inspector JB) brought him to the Indonesian Embassy in Palapaso.

According to other Government sources, the Indonesian Embassy in Dili is still waiting for a letter of extradition for Maternus Bere from the Government of Timor-Leste. This indicates that Maternus Bere may still be residing within the Embassy. A document from the Ministry of Justice which was acquired on 4 September 2009 explains that the ex-militia left Becora prison for the Indonesian Embassy on grounds of poor health.

This decision prompted strong protests from victims families’ and civil society. A two-page document sent from the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights ordered the President to explain about Bere’s release.

When Fretilin was in power, some leaders who currently occupy AMP chairs heavily criticised Mari Alkatiri’s government for not doing anything about justice. Yet the UN—through its special representative in Timor-Leste—gave full faith to the Fretilin government that it could create a stable nation.

On 19 May 2003 at Dili heliport, the UN representative in Timor-Leste, Kamalesh Sharma, handed over authority of the State’s security, prompting the Dili District Tribunal to print a notification for arrest warrants regarding serious crimes perpetrated by Maternus Bere and his thirteen accomplices which read:

“The Adjunct Attorney-General for Serious Crimes Autoridade Segundo nian konfirma ba regulamentu 2000/16 to’o 2000/30 ba UNTAET (… wrote in a letter of accusation (number 09/2003) from the Serious Crimes Panel which was sent on 5 November 2003 with a warrant of arrest based on a letter from the Attorney-General on 16 May which this newspaper has acquired.

Yet this warrant of arrest has little worth because the UN has dismantled the Special Panel for Serious Crimes which was created to bring justice for victims of the Indonesian occupation and related occurrences. Former President Xanana Gusmao himself may be content that the ad-hoc tribunal has failed to make a judgement on perpetrators of these crimes in Indonesia. In forming the Truth and Friendship Commission, Xanana has held up friendship and trampled justice in this land.

Indonesian Ambassador Protects Maternus Bere

The Secretary for the Indonesian Ambassador to Timor-Leste, Nelson Simorangkir said the Ambassador’s function in the Maternus Bere case is to give protective assistance to Bere and other Indonesian citizens in Timor-Leste. Nelson said the Indonesian Ambassador has an obligation to protect Bere’s health.

“I want to let the public know that this case may be quickly resolved to maintain good relations between these two nations, as President Ramos-Horta has said,” said Nelson.

According to information which this newspaper has acquired from the Ambassador’s Secretary, Maternus Bere has not yet returned to Indonesia, but he’s hoping that the Government of Timor-Leste may promptly resolve this problem. Bere’s family has frequently visited him.

Nelson added that President Ramos-Horta’s statement on the anniversary of the popular consultation kept with the Truth and Friendship Commission’s views to resolve problems between these two nations.

“These nations’ leaders certainly have good vision and a mission for the future, which is specifically expressed in each of the recommendations they’ve made to strengthen relations between their nations,” encouraged Nelson.

Horta Says the People Aren’t Asking for Justice

On 28 August 2009, when asked by journalists for his thoughts about Amnesty International’s report on 27 August 2009 which recommends an international tribunal for serious crimes during the Indonesian occupation of Timor-Leste, Horta said, “I absolutely disagree with this. It’s not the same with Amnesty Internation who write from London. I am here. I have been here for ten years already.”

He continued, “I may state that I know this land better than others. In the months I’ve spent walking around this nation in the past two years, I’ve visited cities and villages. I’ve met with thousands and thousands of people. Throughout this, I can guarantee to you that there is not a single person from them who spoke to me about the violence in 1999, 1991, or 1975.”

Speaking on behalf of poor people, the President said this nation’s population hasn’t asked for Justice, but are looking specifically to improve their lives and determine their futures.

“All of the things they’ve spoken have been about their lives in days of peace and security,” he said. “They are not concerned with justice relating to violence in the past. Their concerns are about obtaining 24-hour access to electricity.”

“They question why they’re yet to access telephone lines in parts of this nation which don’t have mobile communication signals. They’re always asking about roads which are still deficient. They often demand more tractors and hand tractors for farming. They want more schools. They ask for clean water. I’ve always listen to these things during the two years prior to now in which I’ve walked hundreds of kilometres.”

“I think I have a better idea of our population’s feelings than those who write reports from London, Washington, New York, and Canberra,” he concluded.

Victims’ Families Angry at Horta

Representatives of victims’ families from Ermera are angry with the State’s decision to free Maternus Bere.

“I’m very sad with the Head-of-State’s statement that the people don’t need justice, sad because charismatic leaders such as Horta should be the number-one person to defend justice for the people, but now he’s crumbling justice from the base, so it’s easy to kill justice,” accused Francisco da Costa, a survivor of militias’ actions in Nossa Senhora church in Suai.

Da Costa asked when the President meets with the people to ask their thoughts about justice, stating “Horta speaks with us that we don’t need justice – is this when lying down, standing up, or sitting? I always attended meetings from 2001 to now and always send invitations to the President and Prime Minister, but they never participate to hear our demands for justice.”

In other news, a survivor from the Liquicia church massacre, Jose Serao, who still carries scars on his throat, said he wants to come together with other victims to continue their struggle for justice.

“This nation will not have peace when there is no justice and it is inexcusable if there is no justice,” he said.

Claudio: “Horta Doesn’t Have the Power to Take Maternus Bere”

In a letter to National Parliament (NP) which was acquired on 22 September from NP secretary, Teresa Carvalho (PD bench member), the President of the Appeal Tribunal Dr Claudio Ximenes said, “As per the information I’ve received, the Suai District Tribunal judge gave a decision to send Maternus Bere to prison to bring judgement. A substantial amount of time passed before the accused was sent to await his judgement”.

Bere’s release was indeed probably not of the tribunal’s doing. According to Timor-Leste’s law and Constitution, only a judge may send a person to prison. Only a judge may order someone from prison. If a judge sends someone to prison, an authority which is not a judge does not have the power to take or order this person from prison.

Article 245 of Timor-Leste’s penal code states whoever has the illegal means to take from prison a person who has lawfully lost their liberty or who gives aid for them to do so will find two to six years [of prison]. Our Constitution defines Timor-Leste as a state of democratic rights, as a state which follows the law and democratic principles.

Our Constitution delegates to each of its sovereign parts the power to conduct their appropriate actions, and not to give one part the power of others. The sovereign parts which do not include tribunals do not have the power to take someone from prison who has been sent by a tribunal, except when it has a political reason to do so. If we do not take the opportunity to follow legal mechanisms to resolve these problems when they appear, they may be exacerbated.

The events of 2006 are a good example, where the law [eventually] made this nation settle down. Violations of law create many problems. Because of this, the Superior Council for Judicial Magistrates and President of the Resources Tribunal gave their attention to the process in which Maternus Bere became the accused.

At the time, the National Parliament hotly debated a Censure Motion which the Opposition had delivered against the fourth constitutional Government, as a consequence of these events. The Opposition demanded a debate, although they already knew that such a motion would fall and that the AMP would feign division on the topic, regardless that they want to show victims that justice will not be served.

Yet the Censure Motion indeed used a deadened counting process, for sake of the Government potentially falling and Fretilin’s campaign tactics. At the time, the Vice President of National Parliament didn’t want to state that this would enter its agenda, but managed to with the diplomacy of Dr Vicente Guterres, who said, “Parliament has many priorities to attend”.

National Parliament took a ‘Rubber Stamp’ to President

National Parliament members signalled their protest about the state’s decision to free Maternus Bere through their vote on 08/09/09 to propose resolution 31/02 on the President’s trip to New York. “I vote to signify a protest because I have come and sat here to defend the people’s interests,” said Estanislao A. da Silva, Fretilin bench member, in an extraordinary plenary session on 09/09/09.

“The interests in this cause are those of the victims. In this way, I vote with conscience – not with emotion,” said da Silva.

“I vote to signal my protest. Why? Because this issue regards a militia who was brought out of prison,” da Silva finished.

The Censure Motion saw a majority of 18 members vote against the President’s travel plans; yet the President subsequently threatened to resign at 5pm on 09/09/09 if the vote was not changed. At 17:25pm, the Deputy of National Parliament brought forth what’s been referred to as a ‘rubber stamp’ to re-approve a resolution with the following results: 31 votes in favour of the President’s travel, 10 against, five abstentions, and one member who did not vote.

PUN MP Fernanda Borges said in the extraordinary plenary session that Parliament had “established a precedent which was not good for the future”.

She lamented that the MPs’ decision did not bring forth the people’s aspirations about speaking correctly and enacting justice for many people who spilled blood and lost their lives to gain independence. Ms Borges, who participated in the ceremony to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the Suai church massacre, informed that, “many people will cry and moan for justice, while Mr President and Mr Prime Minister violate the Constitution to just arbitrarily take a person from jail according to their wishes”.

She continued to state that, “this protest vote has come about so we can open our eyes”.

CNRT bench member, Pedro da Costa, said the vote was filled with emotion. “This vote was all emotional because of Maternus Bere’s case,” he said. This AMP member indicated that the President’s travel was as much in the national interest as justice is for the nation’s heroic fathers. Mr da Costa argued to place the national interest above others, and that one may not bring forth the question of Maternus Bere on Presidential matters to create instability in our land.

Yet his friend Aderito Hugo da Costa—from a party which initially voted against the President’s travel plans, then subsequently abstained—said there is serious debate occurring in community areas regarding the case of Maternus Bere. “Liberty for Bere has an impact to the public, because of the issues he raised in 1999,” stated Mr da Costa. “Now is definitely not a good time for the President to make overseas visits”.

“While events which the President intends to attend is also important, it is particularly important for him to please find time to correctly explain this decision,” he continued.

This member alleged that the decision to free Bere came from the President. “I know well the chronology which happened before the ceremony began on 30 August,” he said. “We know one person who made a direct interpretation regarding this prosecution to the justice sector”.

Xanana: “I accept because I decided”

Not long after a meeting with the President on 10/09/09, the Prime Minister responded to the Appeal Tribunal President’s declaration to give a two- to six-year punishment to those who were responsible for releasing Maternus Bere from Becora prison. “I accept,” Mr Gusmao said. “I accept because I ordered this. The name for sentence, from this tribunal shall surely rest with me … I know where Becora is,” Prime Minister Xanana said in a challenge to the President of the Appeal Tribunal.

This is a difficult situation according to former leader Maximu of CNRM and CNRT (who now sits at the head table in the Counsel of Ministers) because Timor-Leste must have its own dignity as a state to see to its national interests that its people—not others—are making their own decisions: “What we say about justice sometimes disregards justice for the people in regard for that which the decision-makers want ... It’s better that we stand as a state. Stand and say that we will do what we say we’ll do”.

The Prime Minister declared that, “Sometimes bigger countries impose upon us when we intend to carry out justice”.

He is now 63 years old, and asked all people to have patience and consider the example about justice regarding World War Two, which occurred before many people were born. In the last two to three years there have been calls for this [justice], to carry it on. This will be a long time. We must leave it to time. We’ll try and leave it for now. We cannot demand greater things in this world,” said the former Falintil Supreme Commander, with a great deal of diplomacy.

President Dr Jose Ramos-Horta said on 09/09/09, “I have given my position many times already. I will not impede those who wish for an international tribunal. Go directly lobby the [UN] Security Council, because I do not make these decisions”.

“I do not agree,” Dr Ramos-Horta continued. “I do not accept; but those in this country who speak with big mouths, who follow Amnesty International, go to the [Security] Council.”

Immigration has a List of Ex-Militia

According to Immigration Director, Boavida Ribeiro, his department has a list of those who Timor-Leste suspects are former militia members, who are banned from entering and leaving the country.

When asked for the total number of people this list contains, or whether he had information that Maternus Bere had entered Timor-Leste on a tourist visa, the Director said he could not comment because this was a political decision.

Judge Requests Mandate for New Captures

Justice Dr Jose Maria de Araujo, who was carrying out Maternus Bere’s case in Suai District Tribunal, said according to the Penal Code, when PNTL and UNPOL capture a person to bring them to the Tribunal, there must be an accusation against them or one pertaining to serious crimes. Yet the Prosecutor-General presented the case to Dili District Tribunal, claiming they had the competence to pass judgement on the matter.

On 28 August 2009 the Public Defendant requested Suai District Tribunal to suspend Bere’s time in preventative prison because he was sick. Indonesia also requested authorisation for him to travel from Timor-Leste because he was an Indonesian citizen.

Guido Valadares, a doctor from the National Hospital, stated that Maternus Bere was sick in a medical certificate delivered to Becora prison, and recommended Dili District Tribunal authorise his treatment within or outside of Timor-Leste.

The Public Defendant’s request was presented with another copy from Becora prison to the Dili District Tribunal, who then granted a visa from the Public Ministry for Bere’s treatment in Indonesia. The Tribunal initially decreed that Bere remain in preventative prison, but had not made its own decision to grant him freedom from Becora prison.

Suai District Tribunal consequently informally heard that someone was granting Bere liberty from Becora prison.

According to a dispatch from Dr Jose Maris de Araujo on 10/09/09, the PNTL and UNPOL offices in Covalima were requested to commence an investigation to find who granted Bere liberty from prison.

Dr Araujo thus requested that Maternus Bere be taken back into custody, to return to Becora prison and follow due process. According to the resulting dispatches, an authority [other than the Tribunal or PNTL] used its political competence to take Bere from prison.

The Tribunal’s role is particularly to report and pass judgements depending on the Constitution of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste.

One person who feels a victim of the Suai church massacre perpetrated by Maternus Bere is Hermenegildo da Costa, director of NGO Hadomi Malu. His own brother-in-law captured and punished him seven times, and he described being tied up like a goat.

The Laksanakan Sapu Rata militia group did not act alone, as they had support from the Indonesian military, who gave drugs to the militia to disorient them as they assaulted the Suai church and shot dead three religious leaders and other Christians.

This massacre in 1999 is one of the great stories of its generation, which left many dead in its wake. Yet the East Timorese people wished to govern themselves, and all share the consequences of such wishes.

Mr Costa asked the State to create an international tribunal for militia who killed East Timorese people in connection to the 1999 referendum.

Chronology of Bere’s Violations

The following actions are alleged as violations of Section 16 of UNTAET regulation 15/2000:

Accusation One: Torture and Crimes Against Humanity

Maternus Bere and Domingos Mali are widely regarded to have committed torture against Agostinho Gusmao, Francisco do Espedito, and Vicente Alves Quimtao on 26/04/1999 in Vila Ligore, Suai.

Accusation Two: The Crime of Forced Disappearance

Maternus Bere, Ilidio Gusmao and Domingos Mali are allegedly responsible for Marsal and Feliz Amaral’s disappearances on 19/04/1999.

Accusation Three: The Crime of Extermination

Egidio Manek, Maternus Bere, Pedro Teles, Henrikus Mali, Come Amaral, Alipio Gusmao, Baltazar da Costa Nunes, Domingos Berek Boot, Olivio Tato Bauk, Americo Mali, Gabriel Nahakno Tito Da Silva “Zito Saek”, are allegedly responsible for the loss of 46 civilians (many of who are unidentified) on in Ave Maria Church, Covalima, on 06/09/1999. Among those dead included Father Hilario Madeira, Father Dewanto, and Father Francisco.

Accusation Four: The Crime of Deportation

Igidio Manek, Maternus Bere, Pedro Teles, Come Amaral, Henrikus Mali, Alipio Gusmao, Baltazar da Costa Nunes, Domingos Mali, Joaquim Berek, Olivio Tato Bau, Americo Malik, Zito da Silva, and Ilidio Gusmao are allegedly responsible for the deportation of civilians on 05/09/1999 and 30/10/1999 to West Timor.

Accusation Five: The Crime of Persecution

Egidio Manek, Maternus Bere, Pedro Teles, Cosme Amaral, Henrikus Mali, Alipio Gusmao, Baltazar da Costa Nunes, Domingos Mali, Joaquim Berek, Olivio Tato Bau, Americo Mali, Zito da Silva, Ildio Gusmao are allegedly responsible for persecuting civilians on 05/09/1999 and 30/10/1999 in Covalima district and West Timor.

Attempted Homicide on Dinis Afonso Moniz and Cancio Nahak

The Legacy of Maternus Bere in TL

TEMPO SEMANAL TV

The President of Timor-Leste Jose Ramos-Horta has recently returned from traveling to Jakarta for the inauguration of Indonesian President SBY yesterday at 19/10/2009.

Horta returned from Jakarta on 21 October 2009 via Indonesian airline Merpati.

During a press conference in President Nicolao Lobato Airport in Dili he said he denied information that former ex-Laksaur milita commander Maternus Bere has been moved from Timor-Leste from the Indonesian Embassy in Farol Dili via an Indonesian Embassy car on 20 October.

According to a Tempo Semanal source within the Government before Horta left the country on 19 October that he called for an urgent meeting with acting Prime Minister (Vice Prime Minister) Jose Luis Gutteres he left the country on 19/10/09, to discussed the Maternus Bere case. 

The source said, "The President is concerned about Bere's health and that the case of Marternus Bere has to solved in the near future." 

Apparantly Bere has some health problems and Horta urged to resolve this case as soon as possible.

The deputy Prime Minister Jose Luis Guterres called the Minister of Justice Mana Lucia to his Office late in the morning of Monday 19 October before the President's plane left from Dili. Today there were some informaion circulating with the office of Government said Bere has left Timor Leste for west Timor last night with an Indonesian Embassy car. 

At least the Indonesian Embassador to TL confirmed to Tempo Semanal on 21/10/09 in Dili airport that Maternus bere still in Dili and they are working with the government to solve the issue.

Martenus Bere came to TL on 05/08/09 to participate in a funeral of one his relative in Suai district which suffered from Militia attacked in September 1999. 

The Laksaur Militia commander was arrested in Suai on 09/08/09 prior to 10th anniversary of the Suai Church massacre which resulted the famous masscre after UN referendum loss to pro Autonomi on 06/09/1999.

Bere has been released on the 30/08/09 from the preventive detention in Bekora Prison and caused a major scandal for the Timorese leadership. The Oposition call for a vote no confidence which was defeated by the AMP MPs and only 25 vote for from the opositions parties in TL Parliament. Acording to Tempo Semanal sources that even though the Opposition have lost the vote of no confidence that they have a plan to take the Government to court.

This action will done in conjunction with the civil society. The Fretilin party didn't confirmed it's involvement in bringing Gusmao to the courth but DR. Alkatiri said, "We koew that civil society organisations are working on taking the Government to the court."

Internet Exclusive: Border Dispute, Oekusi Enclave - 60,000 Timorese Inside Indonesia

On 15th October 2009 Tempo Semanal sources within the Government of Timor-Leste revealed that on 12 October 2009 4 TNI officers and 4 paramilitary personnel in addition to one civilian entered the Cruz area of the southern most Passabe sub-District in the isolated Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste enclave Oekusi.

When the central government of Timor-Leste only heard about the problem 3 days after it had happened it held an emergency meeting on 15 October 2009. The acting Prime Minister (Vice Prime Minister Jose "Lugu" Guterres, Acting Secretary of State for Security (Secretary of State for Defence, Julio Tomas Pinto), Secretary of State for the Special Region of Oekusi, Jorge Teme, and the Secretary of State for the Council of Minister, Agio Pereira participated in the crisis meeting.

The 4 TNI were carrying M`16 semi-automatic assault rifles and the paramilitaries were unarmed, and the civilian (suspected to be former 1999 era pro-autonomy Sakunar Militia). They were carrying the Indonesian Mera Putih (Red and White) national flag.

 

UN CONFIDENTIAL MAP (2005) of the disputed area, obtained by Tempo Semanal

They assaulted a group of Timorese citizens working on a project to build a border police post in the area known as Cruz next to the mountain known as Nuaf Bijae Sunan. The leader of the TNI officers insulted Mr. Agustino Eta the Chefe Aldiea Haumnani along with the 7 Timorese labourers working on the police post. The TNI forced an end to their labour, and then forcibly took the labourers tent. The TNI then stole 50 sheets roofing tin intended for the police post, taking them to the TNI post across the border.

Mr. Eta told Tempo Semanal that the TNI officers asked him "who instructed him to build the border police post, and to whom did you get permission from to build this police post?", The TNI officer told Mr Eta that the area is in dispute between Indonesia and Timor-Leste. Mr. Eta responded "Our Timor-Leste leaders told us to build this border police post here". He added "that Timorese do not need to ask permission to build a police post on their own territory". Furthermore, Mr Eta angrily continued that "if we want to build post in Indonesian then we need to ask permission". "For me and my Suco Abani community we don't think this is a disputed area, but it is our land [Timor-Leste]".

 Armed TNI and Timorese "socialise" in the disputed area.  TNI plant the Merah Putih.

After listening to this answer the TNI and their paramilitary HANSIP personnel got angry and started to strip the post of its material, taking it to the nearby TNI post on the Indonesian side of the border.

When speaking with Tempo Semanal on 12 October soon after the incident Mr. Eta said that "Indonesians are making gardens in this area, and so Timor-Leste border police post is necessary to maintain security". 

After stripping the post of all of its critical building materials, property of the Government of Timor-Leste the Indonesian security forces returned to the Indonesian side of the border.

These actions in Passabe are part of a wider set of old and current border problems with Indonesia, set against the background of the recent arrest of ex-militia commander Maternus Bere in Cova Lima District in August 2009. 

Since June 2009 Oekusi's western border near Naktuka has been the scent of border disputes with a number of armed TNI being arrested by Timorese border police for entering Timor-Leste, and quickly being released to return to Indonesia as Timor-Leste Government is sensitive to percevied threats from the country's neighbour of some 230 million people, and former occupying power. Passabe was the scene of some of the world killing during the post referendum violence in 1999 with the Tumin, Passabe massacre seeing some 120 youth and men being macheted to death in one massacre by Sakunar militia,  supported by the Indonesian TNI. Justice has never been served on the perpretrators, who reportedly live just 3km across the border a decade later.

Cruz/Bijae Sunan Background

Located at the south western tip of the Oekusi Enclave this area (between Oelnasi in Timor Leste and Manusasi in West Timor) has been the source of local conflict since the 1960s. The conflict has traditionally been over garden areas. In 1965 a local conflict ended up with Portuguese police killing at least one West Timorese. This problem flared up again in 1972 and again in 1983. The 1983 conflict lasted two months and resulted in many injuries from stone throwing.  Apparently, Mario Carrascalao and Indonesia's Minister for Home Affairs Rudini were involved in solving the dispute then.

As a result of TNI's complaints about the location of the TCL this area was divided by the TNI and UNPKF in 2002 into three patrol areas 1) for the TNI (inside the TL border) 2)UNMO and 3) the BPU. In actual fact the TNI took advantage of a rotation between the JORBATT and ROKBATT elements of UNPKF. In effect UNPKF ceded East Timorese territory to Indonesia – albeit in what was hoped to be a temporary manner.

In October 2003 President Xanana Gusmao hosted a cross border reconciliation meeting between hundreds of people from Timor-Leste and refugees in West Timor in Passabe near the Passabe border crossing.  Gusmao reportedly asked the refugees to come home and that there were no insurmountable problems, including justice. He stated that people would not be imprisoned forever. Nothing tangible arose from the meeting

A day or two after this meeting former President (Now PM) Gusmao attended a meeting in the disputed border area beneath Nuaf Bijae Sunan. The Indonesian delegation was comprised of six Indonesian Parliamentarians who had been guests of the Timor-Leste Parliament the previous week, Chiefs of Police from Kupang and Kefamenanu, and the TNI local commander from Kefamenanu. President Gusmão's party included Vice-President of the National Parliament (now deceased) Jacob Fernandes, former Minister for the Interior Rogerio Lobato, former Secretary of State for Labour and Solidarity Arsenio Bano, and PNTL Commander Paulo Martins. The meeting produced no tangible results. All 18 of Oekusi's Chefe de Sucos were present for this meeting, the first time that they had met collectively since 1999 and a sign of the importance of the issue that Oekusi's communities attribute to this problem.

In June 2004 three individuals were arrested by TNI for allegedly wandering into their patrol area in search of a missing horse. They were repatriated only after lengthy discussions between Indonesian and East Timorese authorities.

In July 2004 there was a stone throwing battle between 100-200 people in the area with at least three people being wounded. The conflict is further fueled by the presence of Passabe refugees in Manusasi, and the fact that ex-Sakunar militiamen Andre Ulan (TNI) and Julio da Costa who reside in nearby Nunpo are reportedly in the area.  These men are indicted by the UN for Serious Crimes including for the Passabe Massacre.

In March 2008 local NGOI BELUN reported in a national conflict analysis that Suco Abani in Post Passabe, Oekusi was one of the most likely to suffer local conflict as a result of border problems being exacerbated by local competition over land and TNI manipulation of these problems.

Tempo Semanal Edisaun 158 - Special Kazu Bere

Maternus Bere, Laksaur Militia sub-Commander, iha 1999.

Estadu TL fo Dalan ba Milisia Abuza Justisa
Deputadu Garganta, UN Fase Liman, Vitima Motok
Dili, Tempo Semanal

Maternus Bere moris iha Auren, Sub-distritu Su ai 1 Abril 1956, iha te mpu okupasaun Indo n e z ia, Maternus Bere sai ed u kador ida ba alunu sira iha distritu besik rai ke tan nee, maibe wainhira rai kiik ida nee prepara an ba referendum iha 30 Ag ustu 1999, Maternus Bere husik hela nia kargu hodi envolve iha grupu Milisia Laksaur ho nia belun Ti m or oan lubuk ida. Tuir reportajen kore s p ondente Tempo Sem a nal nian iha Suai hateten katak, momentu Mater n us Bere sei asumi kargu ha nesan profesores, nia (Maternus Bere) akrab tebe-tebes ho alunus no m os inan-aman al unu sira nian. 

Maibe hafoin nia involve an iha gr upu milisia La k s a ur, Maternus Bere sai sosok nebe si a k ten no anti in te grasaun. Tanba nee ema sivil ba r ak mak sai vitima ba Maternus Bere nia hahalok.  Atu rezolve ka zu Bere nian no mos kazu vio l asaun direitus u manus iha Ti m or-Leste pa ska 1999, est a du Timor-Le ste nebe xefia hu si Prezi de n te da Rep ub li ka Kay Rala Xa nana Gusmao (atual PM) hakat liu ba Ind on ezia iha 29 Maiu 2004 ho di hasoru malu ho eis-ge neral TNI Wiranto iha Ba li.  Iha sorumutu ho Wi ra nto nee, fo preok upas aun boot ba ema barak ta nba ema hotu-hotu haka rak justisa ba violasaun kontra direitus ema nian. Preokupasaun nee sai bo ot liutan wainhira Xan ana Gusmao ba hasoru Prezi d ente Indonezia Susilo Bambang Yudoyono iha 9 Marsu 2005 hodi asina akordu konaba kriasaun Komisaun Verdade no Am izade (KVA), tanba desizaun forma KVA nee kontra prinsipius gerais CAVR nian. Maibe estadu Timor-Leste la preokupa, eis Mi nistru Negosiu Estran jeiru agora Prezidente da Republika sempre kesti ona preokupasaun sosie dade sivil konaba esta be­lesementu Tribunal Int e r nasional iha Timor-Le ste, tanba tuir diplomata nee katak, prioridade ba povu Timor-Leste mak am izade entre povu nasa un rua, laos atu hatur ju st isa iha fatin nebe loos no aas. Tanba nee, kazu atake Maternus Bere ba igreja Paroquia Ave Maria Sub-distritu Suai iha loron 6 Se t embru 1999, hodi ha mate Padre Hilario Ma deira, Padre Dewanto, Pa dre Francisco nomos ema sivil sira, laiha 'kek uatan hukum' hodi influe nsia ulun boot sira nia fu an.  Nunee Justisa TL laiha forsa atu kesi eis milisia Maternus Bere tanba Xefi Estadu ho Xefi Governu la dun fo importansia ba lei imigrasaun, regula me ntu UNTAET no lei Kodigu Penal Timor-Leste nian. Tanba desizaun polit ika iha forsa liu lei, maka iha loron 29/07/2009, Ma ternus Bere  hakbesik an ba Departementu Imi grasaun Atambua hodi hasai Pasaporte atu vizita nia moris fatin. Nunee, iha loron 05/08/2009, Maternus Bere hakur liu fronteira Meta Mauk nebe he tan lisensa husi De pa rt ementu Imigrasaun At ambua no hetan autori z a saun husi Diresaun Pol isia Nasional Timor Leste Meta Mauk hodi halo vi zita ba Suai. 

Iha Suai, iha dia 8/08/09 Maternus Bere ba tuir misa iha igreja Suai, haf oin de misa Maternus sai ba iha fatin nebe Padre Ilario mate ba, Maternus Bere nia liman tula sae  ba kruz leten padre Ilario nian ho laran teriste. Tuir Watu joven ida iha Suai dehan Maternus Bere se nte sokar/triste ho nia hahalok rasik nebe nia halo iha 1999.Tanba haree Maternus Bere, Watu tenta atu baku nia (Maternus Bere) ma ibe ninia maluk sira deh an labele baku Maternus Bere iha igreja. Maibe depois sai husi igreja, Ma ternus Bere hahu lao ba merkadu Suai halo Watu buka jetu atu baku Bere ma ibe depois tanba PNTL ho UNPOL la koinese see mak Bere, entaun polisia kaer tiha Watu, polisia husu tan sa mak sira atu ba ku Bere. Tanba nee Watu esplika ba polisia ka tak Bere nudar Ko mandante milisia ida nebe involve iha krime gr a ves iha 1999, entaun autoridade seguransa sira hakfodak hodi ba halo kapturasaun ba Bere nebe fila ona ba nia hela fatin iha Leogore. 

Iha parte seluk,  wai nhira jornal nee dada lia ho vitima ida nebe husu atu tau nia naran inisial DA hateten katak, popul asaun ho vitima sira mak kaptura Maternus Bere, "ami sente hirus governu no la gosta UN nia haha lok", dehan nia. DA nudar sobrevivensia husi ma sakre loron 06 Setembru 1999 nebe mos marka pr e zensa iha akontes eme ntu iha merkadu Suai. "Hau haree Maternus ema hahu hakilar nia be sik merkadu, ami vitima si ra mak loloos kaptura kri minozu nee depois mak fo ba PNTL ho UN POL nebe momentu neba la koinese Maternus Bere hodi lori ba justisa, maibe governu fo ba ami buat nebe la justu, buat nebe in justu no UN fase sira nia liman hodi bubarkan pa nel especial nebe sira nia servisu julga krime gra ves. Nunee duni iha loron ida nee ba oin ami hetan fali milisia seluk husi La ksaur ami sei halo julga mentu rasik ho ami nia liman", dehan DA ho lian makaas.

Hafoin hela iha prizaun preventiva durante loron tolu, polisia lori Maternus Bere tun Dili lori ba hat ama iha prizaun Becora iha loron 12/08/2009, iha Block 1. Kapturasaun  ba Maternus Bere hatudu ona kontribuisaun kom unidade nian ba justisa. Maibe Xefi Estadu ho Xefi Governu nebe koalia ma kaas katak povu tenki kon t ribui ba justisa, justru sira nain rua mak koko daudaun taka dalan ba povu atu kontribui ba ju­stisa. ONU rasik koalia ma kaas konaba paz no justisa, maibe ONU so ibun mak midar maibe hahalok saukata tebe-te bes tanba iha parte ida ONU husu justisa maibe iha parte seluk ONU bu bar tiha Painel Espesial ba Krimes Graves. Tanba nee, misaun ONU iha Ti mor-Leste hanesan man dor boot ida nebe mai halo supervizaun ba pro jetu osan miliaun ba mil iaun iha Timor-Leste dep ois hatoo relatoriu gado-gado ba Geneva. 

Hanesan mos saida mak oras nee deputadu sira halo iha Parlamentu Nasional. Deputadu sira tau an hanesan reprez en tante povu nian maibe si ra koalia barak liu konaba partidu nia interese duke in t erese povu nian. Dep u t adu AMP nebe mesak foinsae no matenek nain deit, divia respeita no ta ne as povu nia kontr ib ui saun hodi kaptura Bere, maibe sira hakilar hasoru opozisaun wainhira op oz isaun hakilar kontra de sizaun Xefi Estadu. Nee loloos kantiga hateten "laiha ukun nain ida bele sai ukun nain diak iha nia nasaun rasik".  

Maternus Bere sai husi prizaun Bekora iha 30/08/2009, iha komem or asaun loron referendum. Loron istoriku nee Prezi dente da Republika sel e bra ho fo medalla ba suse sor no kontribuidor nasa un nian lubuk ida maibe nonok-nonok Prezidente ho PM direta ka indireta fo medalla desizaun livre ba Maternus Bere husi prizaun Bekora. Tuir fontes Tempo Se manal nian hateten katak, MJ telephone ba funsio na riu prizaun ida ho na­ran inisial DA hodi hasai Maternus Bere husi pri zaun Bekora no membrus PNTL nebe komanda husi Sub-Inspektor JB mak ba simu Maternus Bere hodi ba intrega ba Autoridade Indonezia iha Emabaixa Indonezia iha Palapaco Dili. Tuir fontes seluk husi governu informa ba Te m po Semanal katak, too ag ora autoridade husi Em a xador Indonezia ni an iha Dili hein hela karta ext ra disaun husi estadu Timor-Leste ba Maternus Bere. Tanba nee, deskonfia Mat ernus Bere sei hela iha Em baxada Indonezia iha Palapaco Dili. 

Entertantu tuir dok u m entu ida husi Minis teriu Justisa nian nebe fo sai iha loron 04/09/2009 espl ika konaba Maternus Bere nia saude, nunee karik Maternus Bere nia saude mak lori eis milisia nee sai husi prizaun Becora hodi ba hela iha edifisiu Emb axada Indonezia iha Dili. Desizaun hasai Mete rnus Bere husi prizaun ba embaxada nee, hetan pr o testa makaas husi fa milia vitima, sosiedade sivil liu-liu Komisaun Auto Nivel ba Direitus Hu manus nian iha Ge neva. Hanesan dokum en tus tahan rua nebe ma nda husi Navanethem Pillay, Komisariu Auto Nivel ba Direitus Ema ni an nebe derije ba Prezid ente da Republika Dr. Jose Ramos Horta esplika konaba Nasoens Unidas nia laran susar ba desi zaun nebe estadu Timor-Leste foti hodi hasai Ma ternus Bere husi prizaun. 

Iha tempu governu Fr etilin nia ukun, lider balu nebe oras nee okupa hela kadeira AMP nian kritika makaas hasoru go vernu Mari Alkatiri katak, governu Fretilin la halo buat ida ba justisa. Maibe  ONU liu husi ninia rep rezentante especial iha Timor-Leste fo fiar tomak ba governu Fretilin tanba ONU espera governu Fre tilin bele asegura esta bi lidade iha rai laran. Tanba nee, iha loron 19 Maiu 2003 iha heliport Dili, reprezentante Nasoens Unidas iha Timor-Leste, Ka malesh Sharma offi sialmente entrega poder seguransa ba estadu Ti m or-Leste, nunee iha 5 No vembru 2003, Ofisial Ju stisa Tribunal Distrital Dili fo sai notifikasaun ko lektiva especial ba krimes grave sobre "WARRANT OF ARREST AGAINS" Ma ternus Bere ho nia belun hamutuk ema nian sanulun resin tolu. "O Procurador-Geral Adjunto para Crimes Gr a ves, segundo a auto ri dade a si conferida pelos Regulamentos 2000/16 e 2000/30 da UNTAET (tal como corrigidos pelo Regulamento 2001/25), acusa: Egidio Manek, Maternus Bere, Pedro Teles, Henrikus Mali, Cosmas Amaral, Alipio Gu smao tambem conh e cidu como Alipio Mau, Baltazar da Costa Nunes, Domingos Mali tambem conhecidu como Bete Aloi, Illidio Gusmao, Jo a quim Berek Aka Berek Bot, Olivio Tatoo Bau, Gabriel Nahak, Americo Mali e Zito da Silva ta mbem conhecido como Zito Saek", hakerek iha karta ak u zasaun husi Painel Espesial Krimes Graves ho karta Prosesu Nú. 09/2003 nebe fo sai iha 05 Novembru 2003 husi Serious Crimes nomos WARRANT OF AR REST husi Painel Espesial ba Krimes Graves bazeia ba karta WARRANT OF ARR EST husi Prokurador Geral iha loron 16 Maiu nebe jor nal nee hetan.  Maibe WARRANT OF AR REST nee la folin tanba ONU sobu tiha Painel Es p esial ba Krimes Gra ves nebe atu lori fila fali justisa ba vitima sira. Eis Prezidente Xanana Gusmao rasik karik ko n tente tebe-tebes wai nhira Tribunal Ad Hog failla halo julgamentu ba autor kriminozu iha Indonezia. Tanba ko ntente nee, Xan ana ba forma tiha Komisaun Verdade no Amizade hodi tane as verdade no sama jus tisa iha rai. 

Embaixador Indonesia Proteze Maternus Bere 

Sekertaris Embaixador Indonesia iha Timor-Leste, Nelson Simorangkir ha teten, funsaun embaixador Indonezia nian ba kazu Ma ternus Bere mak oinsa atu fo tulun 'perlindunagan' ne'ebe diak ba Bere no si d adani Indonezia sira seluk iha Timor-Leste. Dehan Ne lson hodi afirma liutan ka tak, Embaixador Indonesia iha obrigasaun hodi fo asist ensia no proteze Maternus Bere nia kondisaun atu Bere bele hetan saude diak. "Ha'u hakarak hato'o ba publiku katak, oinsa mak kazu ne'e bele rezolve lalais atu relasaun entre nasaun rua ne'e bele la'o diak han esan esteitmentu  Presi d e nte da Republika Ramos Ho rta hateten", hatutan Nelson.

Tuir infromasaun ne'ebe jornal ne'e hetan husi Seke ra tris Embaixador Indon es ia katak, to'o ohin loron eis Milisia Laksaur Maternus Bere seidauk haruka fila tanba sei hein prosesu, mai be husi nia parte es pera katak estadu TL be le resolve lalais probl e ma ida ne'e. Nune'e mos durante hetan tulun iha embaixador Indonesia familia eis Milisia Laks aur Maternus Bere sem pre ba vizita bere. Nelson hatutan, est e itmentu Presidente Ra mos Horta nian ne' e be hato'o iha loron ani versariu konsulta po pu lar ba dala 10 nian iha 'kesepakatan' ona ho mekanismu Kom is aun Verdade no Ami z ade "KVA" hodi rezo l ve problema entre na s aun rua. "nu'udar lider ansa na saun nian kons erteza sira iha vizaun no mis aun ne'ebe diak ba fu t u ru, ne'e duni reko me n dasaun-rekom enda saun hirak ne'ebe hato'o ne'e iha duni va lor ne'ebe boot hodi ha m e tin relasaun entre na sa un nian", haklaken Nel son.

Horta Dehan Povu la Husu Justisa

Iha loron 28/08/09 wai nhira jornalista husu Presidenti da Republika ninia hanoin kona ba rel atoriu Amnestia Interna sional ne'ebe rekomanda Tribunal Internasional ba krime todan iha TL iha te mpu Indonesia ninia Ho rta dehan, "Absolut am ente ha'u diskorda ho bu 'at ne'e. La hanesan ho Am nestia Internasional ne'ebe hakerek husi Lo ndres. Ha'u iha ne'e. Ha'u iha ne'e durante tinan sa nulu daudaun ne'e nia la ran ona."

Nia kontinua, "Ha'u be le hateten katak ha'u hatene rai ne'e didi'ak du ke ema seluk. Iha fulan hi rak kotuk partikula rme nte iha tinan rua kotuk ne'e ha'u la'o hale'u nas a un ne'e, vizita ba kada sid ade no kada suku. Ha'u ha soru malu ho ema ri hun ba rihun. Nune'e ha'u bele garantia ba imi katak la iha ema ida husi sira maka ko'alia ba ha'u kona ba violence 99, ka 91, ka 75." Presidenti ba ema ki'ak ne'e dale katak popula saun nasaun ne'e la husu ona Justica maibe buka liu-liu maka moris di'ak iha Ukun Rasik an ne'e ninian. "Bu'at hotu ne'ebe sira ko'alia maka moris ohin loron iha dame no seguranca. Sira nia pre okupaaun la'os Justica re­lasaun ho violencia iha pa sadu. Sira nia pre okup asaun maka hetan asesu ba eletricidade iha oras 24 nia laran.  Sira kestiona tan seid auk bele iha asesu ba tel ef one tan ba parte balun husi nasaun ne'e seidauk hetan kovertura (lina Te lefone). Sira sempre kes tiona nafatin beibeik kona ba ami nia Estrada ne'ebe sei mukit. Sira ejije barak liu tan tratores no trator liman nian para servisu ag rikultura. Sira hakarak hetan liu eskola barak liu tan. Sira husu para hetan we moos. Bu'at sira ne'e maka ha'u sempre rona iha tinan rua ikus ne'e wa inhira ha'u la'o liu kilo m etru atus ba atus."

"Ha'u hanoin katak ha'u hatene di'ak liu wit uan oin sa ami nia popu lasaun ninia sentimentu duke sira ne'ebe hakerek relatoriu husi Londres, Washington, Nova Yorke n o Kanberra," Presidenti t aka ninia komenta kona ba  relatoriu Amnestia In ternasional ne'ebe fo sai ba publiku iha loron 27/08/09 ne'e.

Familia Vitima Hirus Horta

Reprezentante Fam ilias vitima husi Ermera hirus ba desizaun Estadu hodi liberta Maternus Bere. "ha'u triste teb-te bes ba Xefe Estadu nia st a tementu katak povu la pr esiza Justisa, triste tanba lider karismatiku hanesan Horta divia nia make ma numeru un nebe defende justisa ba povu, maibe agora nia mak hun husi sobu justisa nee fali, entaun fasil tebe-tebes ba nia atu hamate justisa", akuza Francisco da Costa, sobrevivensia husi asaun milisia iha Igreja Nossa Sehora Suai. Da Costa hateten bai nh ira maka nia (Presid enti da Republika) hasoru malu ho povu hodi husu povu nia hanoin konaba justisa?. "Horta ko'alia ho ami katak ami la presiza justisa ne'e koalia iha mo mentu toba ka hamri'ik ka tu'ur?. Ha'u sempre tuir enkontru desde 2001 ate agora sempre haruka ko nvite ba Presidenti ho Pr imeiru Ministru maibe sira nunka partisipa hodi rona ami nia nia ejizensia ba justisa", katak Costa. Iha parte seluk sobre vi vensia husi Masakre Igreija Liquica, Jose Ser ao ne'ebe sei lori hela fi tar fatin Besi Merah Putih ninian iha ninia kakorok sorin loos dehan, nia ha karak hamutuk ho vitima sira seluk luta nafatin ba he tan Justisa. "nasaun ne'e sei la iha paz kuandu la iha Justisa no la iha Ju s tisa maka sei la hetan perdaun", dale Jose.

Claudio: "Horta Laiha Poder Hasai Maternus Bere"

Presidenti Tribunal de Rekursu DR. Claudio Xi menes iha ninia surat ba Parlamentu Nasional ne'e be sai husi Sekretaria PN Teresa Carvalho (Dep u tada husi Bankada PD) iha loron Tersa 22/09/09 dehan, "Nu'udar inf or masaun ne'ebe ha'u hetan tiha ona, Juiz iha tribunal distrital iha Suai fo desi zaun haruka hatama Ma te rnus bere iha kadeia atu hein Julgamentu. Argu ido ne'e tribunal hasai kleur tiha ona ordem atu ka'er nia hodi lori mai julgamentu. Libertasaun ne'ebe ko munikasaun social ref ere akontese duni karik la'os tribunal maka har uka. Tuir ita nia lei no ita nia konstituisaun Juiz maka bele haruka hatama ema ida iha kadeia. Juiz maka bele haruka hasai ema ne'e. Juiz ida haruka ha tama tiha ona iha ka deia, autoridade ida ne' ebe la'os Juiz la iha poder atu hasai ka haruka hasai husi kadeia ema ne'ebe maka Juiz ida haruka ha tama tiha ona iha kadeia.  Tuir kodiku penal Ti mor ni'an artigu 245 no. 1. se maka ho meu illegal hasai hasai husi kadeia ema ne'ebe tuir lei lakon tiha ona nia liberdade ka fo tulun ba ema ne'ebe atu halai sei hetan tinan rua to'o tinan neen. Iha ita nia konstituisaun define Ti mor Leste hanesan esta du de Direitu Demokr a tiku, Estadu ne'ebe la'o tuir Lei no principius de m okratiku.  Ita nia konstituisaun fahe ba orgaun soberanu ida-idak poder ne'ebe orgaun ne'e bele ka'er no la fo fatin ba orgaun ida atu ka'er fali orgaun seluk nia poder. Orgaun Sobe ra nu ne'ebe la'os Tribunal la iha poder atu hasai ema ne'ebe tribunal haruka hatama iha kadeia maske ho baze iha razaun polit ika. Ita la tuir mekanizmu legal atu resolve probl e ma ne'ebe mosu iha ita nia le'et problema bele sai bo'ot liu tan.  Krize iha 2006 serve ona hanesan izemplu ida ba ita. Lei maka halo ita tuur hakmatek. Violasaun ba lei hamosu problemas oi-oin. Tan ba ida ne'e ko nsellu Superior ba Majis tr atura judicial no Trib unal ba Rekursu nia pres identi akompainya ho at ensaun prosesu ida, iha ne'ebe Maternus Bere ta ma hanesan Arguido.

Iha loron ne'eba mos Pa rlamentu Nasional de b ate ho manas kona ba mo saun de Sensura ne'e be hato'o husi bankada op ozisaun kontra IV go vernu konstitusional. Ba nkada opozisaun ejije atu debate maske sira hatene ona katak mosaun ne'e sei monu no Bankada AMP halo finji dada ba mai tan hatudu sira nia pre okupasaun kuandu iha votasaun maka sira vota kontra sei hatudu katak AMP hatudu lala'ok nega justica ba vitima sira.  Nune'e duni mosaun de sensura ne'e hanesan uza sura mate. Tan ba liu Go vernu monu no la liu mos Fretilin uza hodi ka mpainya. Iha momentu ne'eba vice Presidenti Pa rlamentu Nasional lakohi hateten katak sei l hatama ajenda maibe ho diplo ma sia DR. Vicente Gu te rres dehan, "Parlamentu iha programa prioridade barak atu haree."

PN Sai Rubber Stamp ba PR

Sinal de protestu ba de sizaun estadu hodi lib erta Maternus Bere ne'e mos mai husi membru Pa lamentu Nasional iha loron 08/09/09 hatudu iha votasaun ba proposta rezolusaun 31/02/ viajen Prezidenti da Republika ba Nova yorke. "Ha'u vo ta hanesan sinal de pro testa tan ba ha'u mai tu'ur iha ne'e hodi buka defe nde interese povu ni'an. Porke os interese esta en causa, o que interese vi tima. Nune'e maka ha'u vota ho konsiencia la'os ho emosaun," dehan de pu tadu bankada Fretilin Ir. Estanislao A. da Silva iha plenaria extra ordi naria loron 09/09/09."Pela primeira vez ha'u vota em sinal de pr otestu. Tan ba sa ida? Tan ba bu'at ne'ebe akontese ligasaun ho hasai milisia ne'e husi kadeia." Iha votasaun ne'eba de putadu na'in 18 vota ko ntra maibe Prezidenti da Republika ameasa atu re signa an wainhira to'o tuku lima loro kra'ik loron 09/09/09 se deputadu si ra la muda sira nia vi ta saun. Nune'e duni iha tu ku 17.25 deputadu Parl amentu Nasional sai duni rubber stamp hodi apro va hikas rezolusaun ne' ebe hanesan ho votus 31 a favor, kontra 10, abste nsau 5 no deputadu ida la vota.

Deputada Fernanda Borges husi bankada PUN dehan iha plenaria extra ordinaria ne'e katak Parl am entu hahu estabele pr e sendente ida ke la di'ak ba futuru." Nia lamenta katak di s tintu Deputedu sira iha Pa rlamentu la foti povu nia aspirasaun kona ba lia loos no justisa ba ema barak ne'ebe ran fakar no lakon sira nia vida ba he tan ukun rasik an nasaun TL. Deputada ne'ebe bam os participa iha cere mo nia anniversariu ba dala sanolu masakre iha Igr e ija Suai ne'e informa ka tak, "povu barak sei tanis no halerik buka justisa enkuantu sr. Presidenti da Republika ho Sr. Pri m eiru Ministru viola kons t ituisaun hodi hasai ema husi kadeia arbiru de'it ko nforme sira nia hakarak." Nia kontinua hateten katak, "votu de protesta ne'e para atu ita hotu loke matan."

Husi bankada CNRT dep utadu Pedro da costa dehan votasaun ida ne'ebe mosu iha loron uluk ni'an ne'e nakonu ho emosaun. "Votasau ida hodi seik ne'e emosional hotu tan ba in klina liu ba kazu Maternus bere ni'an." Deputadu AMP ne'e indika vizita Pr esidenti da Republika nin ian hanesan interese Nasi onal liu fali justisa ba her ois da patria sira. Pedro hateten katak koloka inte rese Nasional iha leten no ita labele lori kestaun ma t ernus bere nian kahur ho rezolusaun Presidenti ni nian atu kreia instabil id ade iha ita nia rai laran. Maibe ninia belun Ade rito Hugo da Costa husi pa r tidu ne'ebe vota ko ntra iha loron Primeiru ma ibe iha sesaun extra ordinaria vota abstain fali ne'e dehan iha debate seriu iha komunidade nia leet kona ba kazu liberta Ma ternus Bere nian. "Li b erdade ba Bere iha im pa ktu ba publiku ninia pre ok upasaun relasaun ho violasaun direitus ema nian iha 99, nune'e duni maka iha daudaun ne'e la'os momentu ne'ebe di'ak ba Presidenti atu halo vizita bar ai liur. Ma ske eventu ne'ebe maka presidenti atu ba partisipa ne'e mos importante mai be importante liu-liu ma ka favor ida buka tempu hodi esplika substancia desizaun ne'e loloos," de han Hugo.  Deputadu ne'e alega ka tak desizaun ba liberta Bere ne'e mai husi Presi de nti. "Ita hatene didi'ak kronolojia ne'ebe akon t ese iha loron 30 fulan Ag usto antes seremonia ha hu." Ami hatene ema ida ne'ebe maka halo inte rbe nsaun direitamente ba pr osekusaun, ba setor jus tisa."

Xanana: "hau simu tanba hau mak haruka" 

Hafoin de enkontru ho Presidenti da Repu b l ika iha loron 10/09/09 Primeiru Ministru resp o nde ba deklarasaun Presi denti Tribunal de rekursu ne'ebe sei fo kastigu tinan 2 ate tinan 6 ba ema sira maka responsabiliza ba hasai Prisioneiru Mate rnus Bere husi kadeia Be kora. "Ha'u simu. Ha'u si mu tan ba ha'u maka har uka. Naran husi sentenca, husi tribunal mai to'o ha'u ba kedas, ha'u la… ha'u hatene bekora ne'e iha ne'ebe," PM Xanana sadik lian dale Presidenti Tribunal Rekursu. Tuir eis lider Maximu CNRM no CNRT ne'ebe agora tu'ur iha meja ulun Konsellu de Ministrus IV Governu konstitusional RDTL ne'e katak, susar, tan ba TL tenke iha dig nidade propria nu'udar es tadu atu hare ba inter ese nasionais purke la'e timor oan maka bidu tun bidu sa'e ema seluk maka iha desizaun. "Bu'at ju stisa ita ko'alia dala ruma so'e justisa mai ita ki'ik sira ne'e maka atu kumpri mas iha bo'ot sira ne'e… .(PM doko ulun). Di'ak liu ita hamri'ik nu'udar es tadu. Hamri'ik dehan sa ida maka ita bele halo ita halo," nia dehan.

PM hatutan katak, "dala ruma rai bobo'ot sira ne'e impoin ba ita atu halo justisa..justisa mas ku andu to'o fali sira, sira araska. PM ne'ebe agora ha lo ona tinan 63 ne'e hu su ba ema hotu atu pasi en sia hodi fo izemplu kona ba justisa ba kazu sira ne'ebe akontese iha seg undu funu mundial maka mosu antes nia moris. "Foin daudauk tinan rua tinan tolu maka foin de han bolu ida ne'e, ka'er ida ne'eba. Ne'ebe kle'ur. Kle'ur ita husik ba tempu. Ita husik to'ok ba tempu ne'e. Ita labele ijeje sai bu'at di'ak liu iha mundu ne'e," Eis komandante Supremu Falintil ne'e de han ho ton nakonu diplo masia.

Presidenti da Repu b lika DR. Jose Ramos Horta (09/09/09) hateten ka tak, "Ha'u ni'a pozisaun ha'u hateten dala barak ona. Se maka hakarak tri bunal internasional ha'u la impede. Ba loby Kons ellu Siguransa direit­am ente tan ba la'os ha'u maka halo desizaun sei bele iha tribunal internasional ka la'e.  Ha'u hateten ha'u la konkorda. Ha'u la simu maibe sira ne'ebe ko'alia ibun bo'ot iha rai ne'e, ne'ebe tuir amnestia Int ernasional invez de tuir ha'u sira tuir fali amnestia internasional nia lia fuan ba halo loby ba konseillu Siguransa.

Juiz Husu Hasai Mandadu Kapturasaun Foun

Tuir Juis Dr. José Maria de Araújo, nebe kaer kazu Maternus Bere iha Tribunál Distrital Suai hateten, tuir kódigu prosesu penál ne'ebé iha, bainhira PNTL no UNPOL kaptura ema ruma tenke lori ba aprezenta iha Tribunál atu halo prosesu, iha ona akuzasaun ne'ebé kontra nia no akuzasaun tama krime graves, maibé iha momentu ne'ebá Prokuradór Jerál aprezenta ba Tribunál Distritál Dili tanba sira mak iha kompeténsia atu halo julgamentu. Relatóriu ne'ebé hato'o husi Defensór Publika aprezenta pedidu ida ba Tribunál Suai iha dia 28 Agostu 2009, maibé iha perdidu dehan katak Arguidu hetan moras presiza tratamentu, nunee Indonézia husu ba Tribunál atu suspende Prizaun Preventiva hodi  autoriza bere ba halo tratamentu iha Indonézia tanba Bere sidadaun ne'ebá.

Iha 'keterangan dokter' husi Ospitál Nasionál Guido Valadares mós hateten, Maternus Bere moras, Tribunál Distritál Dili bele fó autoriza ba halo tratamentu iha Timor ou li'ur, tanba iha karta ofisial ne'e hakerek kona ba Maternus Bere nia kondisaun, depois prizaun Becora resposta ba karta ne'ebé mai husi Tribunál refere.

Relatóriu ne'ebé aprezenta husi médiku Defensór Públiku no moos kopia mai husi prizaun Becora, Tribunál loke fila fila vistu iha Ministériu Públiku, tanba atu halo tratamentu iha Indonézia. nune'e  Tribunál dekretu primeiru relatóriu Maternus Bere ba iha prizaun preventiva, maibé Tribunál rasik seidauk hasai desizaun atu husik livre husi prizaun Becora, Tribunál Suai só rona liu husi komunikasaun sosiál ne'ebé fó sai katak, iha ema balun ba liberta tiha Bere husi prizaun Becora.

Tuir despaxu ne'ebé Dr. José Maria de Araújo hatuun iha dia 10 Setembru 2009 PNTL no UNPOL Distritu Covalima atu notifika, tanba iha despaxu ne'e presiza loke fila fila investigasaun ba ema ne'ebé liberta Maternus Bere iha Prizaun. Iha oportunidade ne'e nia husu Maternus Bere atu kaptura fali iha fatin ne'ebé de'it, atu hatama fila fali ba iha prizaun Becora hodi bele tuir prosesu normal. Tuir despaxu ne'ebé iha Polisia no Ministériu Públiku loke investigasaun atu bele hatene se-se mak hasai Arguidu ne'e, Órgaun seluk uza nia kompeténsia polítika hodi ba hasai Maternus Bere iha prizaun Becora.

Tuir Komunikasaun Sosiál Tribunál hala'o ninia kna'ar liuliu Juis ne'ebé presidi primeiru relatóriu ou julgamentu kada prosesu Tribunál hare tuir nia sala ne'ebé iha, tanba depende ba Konstitusionál Repúblika Demokrátika Timor Leste. Responde ba kestaun hanesan tuir Diretór NGO Hadomi Malu Hermenegildo da Costa masakre ne'ebé akontese iha Igreja Suai nia nu'udar vítima tanba iha momentu ne'ebá nia rian rasik kaer nia dala 7 hetan kastigu kesi no futu hanesan bibi. Grupu Milísia Laksanakan Sapu Rata la'ós halo mesak, tanba hetan suporta husi Tentara Nasionál Indonézia (TNI) fó ai-moruk pil ba sira atu la bele koñese malun, sira asalta Igreja tiru mate Padre na'in tolu hamutuk ho Sarani sira. Masakre ne'ebé akontese iha igreja Suai iha 1999 hanesan istória ba jerasaun, hatene maluk barak mate iha akontese refere, maibé Timor oan hotu hakarak ukun rasik aan entaun konsekuénsia povu tomak nian. Nia husu ba Estadu atu hari Tribunál Internasionál ba milísia ne'ebé oho Timor ona sira iha tinan 1999 momentu Referendu, milísia sira la'ós halo mesak maibé hetan suporta husi Indonézia, tanba PBB mak haruka Indonézia tama mai Timor ho oho malun. 

3: Krime Exterminasaun

Egidio Manek, Maternus Bere, Pedro Teles, Henrikus Mali, Cosme Amaral, Alipio Gusmao, Baltazar da Costa Nunes, Domingos Berek Boot, Olivio Tato Bauk, Americo Mali, Gabriel Nahak no Tito da Silva "Zito Saek", respon savel ba ema sivil balun ne' ebe lakon iha 6 Set e mbru 1999 iha Igreja Ave Maria Sub-Distritu Cova lima inklui moos Padre Hi lario Ma d eira, Padre De wanto no Padre Francisco.

Akuzasaun 4: Krime De portasaun

Igidio Manek, Mate rnus Bere, Pedro Teles, Come Amaral, Henrikus Ma li, Alipio Gusmao, Bal tazar da Costa Nunes no Domingos Mali, Joaquim Berek, Olivio Tato Bau. Am erico Malik, Zito da Silva, Ilidio Gusmao res­po nsavel ba deport asa un ema sivil iha 5 Set e m b ru 1999 no 30 de Out u b ru 1999 ba Timor Osid e ntal, krime ida nee vila artigu 5.1 (d). regula me n tu UN TAET Numeru 15/2000.

Akuzasaun 5: Krime Persegisaun

Egidio Manek, Mate r nus Berek, Pedro Teles, Cosme Amaral, Henr ik us Mali, Alipio Gusmao, Bal t azar da Costa Nunes, Do m ingos Mali, Joaq uim Berek, Olivio Tato Bau, Am erico Mali, Zito da Si l va, Ildio Gusmao re s po­nsavel ba pers eg i s aun ba populasaun sivil sira iha 5 Setembru 1999 no 30 Outubru 1999 iha Distritu Covalima no iha Timor Osidental, krime ida nee kontra artigu 5.1 (h) re gulamentu UNT AET nu meru 15/2000.

Vitima homesidiu ha m utuk 46.

Exterminasaun: Nu m erus ema sivil sira ne' ebe la identifika iha Ig reja Ave Maria Suai, enk lui Padre Hilario, Padre Dewanto no Padre Fra n cisco.

Tentiva homesidio: Di nis Afonso Moniz, Cancio Nahak

Dazaparesimentu Fo rsadu ema nain 6 vi tima to rtura nian ham u tuk ema nain 44.(ts)---