FRANCE: JOSE RAMOS HORTAS, SPOKESMAN FOR EAST TIMOR OPPOSITION HOLD PRESS CONFERENCE IN PARIS TO HIGHLIGHT RECENT HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES
Record ID:
645045
FRANCE: JOSE RAMOS HORTAS, SPOKESMAN FOR EAST TIMOR OPPOSITION HOLD PRESS CONFERENCE IN PARIS TO HIGHLIGHT RECENT HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES
- Title: FRANCE: JOSE RAMOS HORTAS, SPOKESMAN FOR EAST TIMOR OPPOSITION HOLD PRESS CONFERENCE IN PARIS TO HIGHLIGHT RECENT HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES
- Date: 14th November 1991
- Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (NOVEMBER 14, 1991) SLV/SCU: MADAME DANIELLE MITTERAND INTRODUCING HORTAS AT PRESS CONFERENCE (FRENCH) 0.22 SCU/LV HORTAS DESCRIBING TELEPHONE CALL (FRENCH)/ LV PRESS CONFERENCE 1.57 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 29th November 1991 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: France, France
- Country: France
- Topics: International Relations,Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA6MCJ8EASYUIJDI860EGIX0UOJ
- Story Text: PARIS, FRANCE
A spokesman for the East Timor opposition said in Paris on Thursday (November 14) that the death toll following a massacre in East Timor on Tuesday (November 12) was higher than official figures indicated. Jose Ramos Horta also urged the United States (U.S.) and European Community (EC) to impose an arms embargo on Indonesia.
Indonesian troops fired on hundreds of mourners in Dili, the capital of the former Portuguese territory annexed by Indonesia in 1976, in a supposed attempt to control the crowd. The official death toll stands at 19 to 91 wounded.
People at the cemetery were mourning a student killed last month in clashes between pro- and anti-Indonesian activists.
Indonesia's army chief in East Timor admitted his men were at fault in opening fire but said it was a 'misunderstanding'.
Horta spoke at a press conference organised by the France Liberte non-governmental humanitarian group which is headed by Danielle Mitterrand, wife of French President Francois Mitterrand. He described a telephone call with friends in East Timor and said the death toll was probably nearer to 120 or 140. Many wounded people were to scared to go to hospital, he added.
Hortas' alliance of guerrillas and clandestine civilian groups opposes Indonesia's annexation of East Timor. The press conference heard Horta criticise Australia for continuing a programme of military cooperation with Indonesia and accused it of actively suppressing human rights in East Timor.
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