Eurico Guterres
Encyclopedia
Eurico Barros Gomes Guterres (born 1971 is a pro-Indonesia
n or anti-independence militia terrorist recruited by the Indonesian military. He was involved in several massacres in East Timor
, and a chief militia leader during the post-independence massacre and destruction of the capital Dili
.
Though Indonesia officially convicted and sentenced Guterres to ten years imprisonment in November 2002, Indonesia has never incarcerated him. In August 2003 he formed Laskar Merah Putih (or Red and White Warriors) in Indonesian Papua
.
Elsham
leader Aloysius Renwarin reported Guterres already had 200 members consisting of Indonesian expatriates from Maluku
, Timor
and Sulawesi
in December 2003 when Guterres confidently requested the local government to provide his organisation offices in Timika, Papua. Combined with the appointment of Brig. Gen. Timbul Silaen (under U.N.
indictment) as police chief for Papua, Papuans fear Guterres and his Laskar Merah Putih will be given free rein against the Papuan population.
), East Timor. His parents were killed in 1976 by Indonesian TNI
forces due to their known pro-Fretilin views. Though Guterres later accuses Fretilin of their deaths, this is after his conversion to Indonesian ideals.
Young Guterres was brought up by an Indonesian civil until he was sent to attend the Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic school in Becora, Dili. He left senior High School becoming involved in petty gangster activity including the government-protected gambling hall (bola guling) at Tacitolu, Dili.
In 1988 Indonesian military intelligence detained him for his alleged involvement in a plot to assassinate President Suharto, who was to visit Dili in October. At this time Guterres changes from pro-independence to pro-Indonesian alliances, becoming an informer for Kopassus
and double agent against the Independence movement until he was expelled around 1990.
A counter-insurgency officer, Prabowo
had taken special interest in his abilities and in 1994 recruited him into Gardapaksi. An organisation that gave cheap loans to start small businesses, but also used them as both informants and in pro-military vigilante squads. Governor Abilio Soares strongly supported Gardapaksi, which developed a record of human rights abuse.
In 1997 with a high school certificate supposedly provided by the military he began attending the Economics Institute in Dili. Though the Sekolah Tinggi Ilmu Ekonomi (STIE) was run by pro-integrationist Filomeno Hornay, Guterres attended only three semesters. He is married to the niece of Bishop Nascimento of Baucau, and has three children.
He is the primary militia
suspect in the Liquiçá Church Massacre
of April 1999, according to information gathered by the UNTAET Crime Scene Detachment
.
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
n or anti-independence militia terrorist recruited by the Indonesian military. He was involved in several massacres in East Timor
East Timor
The Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, commonly known as East Timor , is a state in Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the nearby islands of Atauro and Jaco, and Oecusse, an exclave on the northwestern side of the island, within Indonesian West Timor...
, and a chief militia leader during the post-independence massacre and destruction of the capital Dili
Dili
Dili, spelled Díli in Portuguese, is the capital, largest city, chief port and commercial centre of East Timor.-Geography and Administration:Dili lies on the northern coast of Timor island, the easternmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands....
.
Though Indonesia officially convicted and sentenced Guterres to ten years imprisonment in November 2002, Indonesia has never incarcerated him. In August 2003 he formed Laskar Merah Putih (or Red and White Warriors) in Indonesian Papua
Western New Guinea
West Papua informally refers to the Indonesian western half of the island of New Guinea and other smaller islands to its west. The region is officially administered as two provinces: Papua and West Papua. The eastern half of New Guinea is Papua New Guinea.The population of approximately 3 million...
.
Elsham
Elsham (organisation)
Elsham is a leading human rights non-governmental organization based in Jayapura, Papua, Indonesia. Since opening in the 1980s the Institute of Human Rights Studies and Advocacy, or Elsham as it is better known, has been a trusted Papuan group which reports human rights violations in Papua. In June...
leader Aloysius Renwarin reported Guterres already had 200 members consisting of Indonesian expatriates from Maluku
Maluku Islands
The Maluku Islands are an archipelago that is part of Indonesia, and part of the larger Maritime Southeast Asia region. Tectonically they are located on the Halmahera Plate within the Molucca Sea Collision Zone...
, Timor
Timor
Timor is an island at the southern end of Maritime Southeast Asia, north of the Timor Sea. It is divided between the independent state of East Timor, and West Timor, belonging to the Indonesian province of East Nusa Tenggara. The island's surface is 30,777 square kilometres...
and Sulawesi
Sulawesi
Sulawesi is one of the four larger Sunda Islands of Indonesia and is situated between Borneo and the Maluku Islands. In Indonesia, only Sumatra, Borneo, and Papua are larger in territory, and only Java and Sumatra have larger Indonesian populations.- Etymology :The Portuguese were the first to...
in December 2003 when Guterres confidently requested the local government to provide his organisation offices in Timika, Papua. Combined with the appointment of Brig. Gen. Timbul Silaen (under U.N.
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
indictment) as police chief for Papua, Papuans fear Guterres and his Laskar Merah Putih will be given free rein against the Papuan population.
Background
Guterres was born in Uatulari (near ViquequeViqueque
Viqueque is a city in the south-east of East Timor, 183 km from Dili, the national capital. Viqueque is the capital of the district of Viqueque and subdistrict of Viqueque, in the eastern part of the country with five subdistricts under its control, they are: Uatu-Lari, Uatu-Carbau, Viqueque,...
), East Timor. His parents were killed in 1976 by Indonesian TNI
Military of Indonesia
The Indonesian National Armed Forces in 2009 comprises approximately 432,129 personnel including the Army , Navy including the Indonesian Marine Corps and the Air Force ....
forces due to their known pro-Fretilin views. Though Guterres later accuses Fretilin of their deaths, this is after his conversion to Indonesian ideals.
Young Guterres was brought up by an Indonesian civil until he was sent to attend the Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic school in Becora, Dili. He left senior High School becoming involved in petty gangster activity including the government-protected gambling hall (bola guling) at Tacitolu, Dili.
In 1988 Indonesian military intelligence detained him for his alleged involvement in a plot to assassinate President Suharto, who was to visit Dili in October. At this time Guterres changes from pro-independence to pro-Indonesian alliances, becoming an informer for Kopassus
Kopassus
Kopassus is an Indonesian Army special forces group that conducts special operations missions for the Indonesian government, such as direct action, unconventional warfare, sabotage, counter-insurgency, counter-terrorism, and intelligence gathering.Kopassus was founded on April 16, 1952...
and double agent against the Independence movement until he was expelled around 1990.
A counter-insurgency officer, Prabowo
Prabowo
Prabowo Subianto was an Indonesian career soldier and currently a businessman and a politician. Married to former President Suharto's daughter, Siti Hediati Hariyadi , he was influential under the New Order administration.The 1998 Revolution cut short his career, and he was accused of involvement...
had taken special interest in his abilities and in 1994 recruited him into Gardapaksi. An organisation that gave cheap loans to start small businesses, but also used them as both informants and in pro-military vigilante squads. Governor Abilio Soares strongly supported Gardapaksi, which developed a record of human rights abuse.
In 1997 with a high school certificate supposedly provided by the military he began attending the Economics Institute in Dili. Though the Sekolah Tinggi Ilmu Ekonomi (STIE) was run by pro-integrationist Filomeno Hornay, Guterres attended only three semesters. He is married to the niece of Bishop Nascimento of Baucau, and has three children.
He is the primary militia
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
suspect in the Liquiçá Church Massacre
Liquiçá Church Massacre
The Liquiçá Church Massacre was an atrocity that occurred in the war torn country of East Timor, in April, 1999. It was the first case to be heard by the Second Special Panel.-Events and Aftermath:...
of April 1999, according to information gathered by the UNTAET Crime Scene Detachment
UNTAET Crime Scene Detachment
The UNTAET Crime Scene Detachment was the common title for an elite investigative unit created in the war torn and newly liberated country of East Timor in November 1999, under the direction of the United Nations mission in East Timor, consisting of International Police, Australian Military Police...
.