Sudents from Baucau district went to Foho Matebian to commemorate the Matebian Massacre Day

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Foto, Belo Dutay

Maubere Gusmão

On 20 November 2013, university students from Baucau district went to Foho Matebian to commemorate the Matebian massacre day, where many people died. In 1978-1979, at this same place where university students lit candles, the Indonesian military used bombs and caused the inhabitants of a whole aldeia to get trapped in a cave/cavity, blocked by the fall of a big rock. 

Even if people were still alive under the rock, they later died because of hunger as nobody could help them out. Until now, their remains are still under the rock.

 
This place is situated in a big mountain called Matebian, in the eastern part of Timor Leste. It is there that in 1978-1979, the majority of the population finally decided to surrender to the Indonesian enemy when the basis of support shattered. The Fretilin war leaders were disorganized, and ultimately decided to get out from the conventional war and enter into the guerilla, until they won the war in 1999. 

 
This big Matebian massacre, and other practices of the Indonesian military similar to animal hunting were full of human rights violations. 

The civilians did not have access to clean water because the Indonesian military poisoned the water sources, the civilians did not have food because the Indonesian military destroyed their farms, many civilians died at this period. Today, this massacre is beginning to fade from people's mind (disappear from their lips/mouth), but these university students, as a new generation still affected by the past crimes, never forgot. This historical event deserves the memory of all the people. 

 
The planes used by the Indonesian military at that time almost all came from the United States of America, the Great Britain, and other big nations interested in Timor Leste's resources or concerned by the Timorese communist movement. Until now, the criminals are still free in Indonesia, and some are even candidate to the Indonesian Presidency (Prabowo, Wiranto and others). 

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The big nations that supported and benefited from the Indonesian occupation have not apologized yet to the Timorese people through a formal justice process. Activists and survivors in Timor Leste continue to ask for justice for Timorese people and for the judgment of the criminals. 

 
Timorese leaders are not ready to make this subject a governmental priority, and keep on saying to those asking for justice that it is still too early to raise the issue of the crimes against humanity and war crimes committed during the Indonesian military illegal occupation. They say that it is the responsibility of the international community, not the responsibility of Timor Leste or Indonesia only. 

 
The struggle continues! 

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