Sixty-nine people and the bodies of the three UNHCR staff members killed in yesterday’s militia attack were evacuated to Dili from Atambua, West Timor, today. Another 70 personnel from UNHCR, UNTAET and other international organizations were flown out of West Timor’s main town of Kupang to Denpasar, Indonesia.
The group from Atambua left at around 2 p.m. today and was driven in a TNI-escorted convoy to Batugade, East Timor. They were later picked up by an UNTAET MI-26 helicopter and flown to Dili. The group consists of 67 Indonesians, one Fijian, the head of security for UNHCR in Atambua, and one Japanese human rights officer.
A separate helicopter brought the bodies of the three murdered UNHCR staff to Dili airport, where a ceremony was held to honor the dead.
“This is not the first time I put flowers on coffins or body bags of UN staff, but it is particularly difficult when the murder is so brutally senseless,” said SRSG Sergio Vieira de Mello who attended the ceremony along with Bernard Kerblat, Head of Operations for UNHCR and Force Commander Lt. Gen. Boonsrang Niumpradit.
“We are talking about sheer murder of humanitarian staff who were there to help and protect the victims of similarly senseless violence carried out by the same people in East Timor last year. My hope is that [what has happened] will lead to decisive action against this cancer called militia,” Vieira de Mello added.
The three coffins, draped in UN flags, were driven in a procession to the morgue at UNTAET’s Human Rights center.
One Brazilian national, severely injured in yesterday’s attack, is currently receiving treatment at Dili Military Hospital and her condition is stable.
Yesterday’s violence was triggered by a funeral procession originating from nearby Betun for slain Laksaur militia leader Olivio Mendonça. The three UNHCR staff members were killed after a group of militia members stormed the UNHCR compound.
