Aitarak (thorn), a militia based in Ainaro is commanded by Eurico Guterres, who is now vice commander of all paramilitary groups. After the possibility of independence for East Timor was announced, Eurico and his supporters established Aitarak. In 1988, Guterres was detained by the Indonesian military because he was suspected of being involved in a plot to murder President Soeharto when he visited Dili. After he was released, he became a member of Gada Paksi. Guterres is also known as the leader of a gambling racket at an inter-city bus terminal and several other places. 

Eurico Guterres (centre) with his Aitarak terror squad. Photo: Charles Dharapak.

Gada Paksi is a group established in the early 90s by the governor Abilio Soares with the support of Kopassus under Prabowo. The Gada Paksi formed the basis of the notorious ninja gangs that tortured and murdered suspected activists in Dili in the mid 90s - always wearing their trademark black hoods. They are now based in the Puke Laran village in the district of Liquiça.

Halilintar (lightening or thunderbolt) is based in Atabae in the Bobonaro district which borders West Timor. This organization was initially formed in 1975 by a liurai from Atabae named Mayor Tabesi, but is now led by Joao da Silva Tavares. Tavares has been fighting on the side of the Indonesians since before the invasion. In October 1975, he joined in attacks launched from Indonesian territory against Fretilin. For this he was rewarded by being appointed Bupati of the Bobonaro district for two terms. While Bupati he took over many landholdings vacated by East Timorese who fled to Australia and Portugal and is now an important landowner. He is also leader of the district’s MUSPIDA (Authorities’ Council containing both military and 'civil' government representatives), and with the support of TNI officials, has been appointed the War Commander of the Pro-Autonomy Forces.

Makikit – operates around Viqueque

Tim Saka has its headquarters in the village Lai-Sorulai, sub-district Quelicai, district Baucau. This group was formed during TNI/ABRI’s Operasi Kikis (Operation Erosion) in 1983. During this operation, TNI used East Timorese people as frontline shields as it hunted down Falintil. Saka was involved in many killings during the operation. After the first was shot dead in 1994 the leadership was taken over by the vice-commander Sgt. Joanico da Costa. It now has weapons such as AK-47s, M-16s, and hand grenades obtained from TNI.

Pana - has its base in Fatuboro village, Maubara sub-district, Liquiça district and is led by Domingos Policarpo. When conducting raids and attacks, Pana receives support from the members of Territorial Battalion 143.

Jati Merah Putih – (Real Red and White) based in the Los Palos region.

Laksaur Merah Putih - based in Salele, Covalima district

Darah Merah (Red Blood) – operates in the middle region of East Timor – its commander-in-chief is Lafaek Saburai.

Dadurus (Maliana)

AHI - Aku Hidup untuk Integrasi – (I Live for Integration) or ‘fire’ in Tetun is based in Aileu.

Ablai is based in Same.

Tim Sera – led by Sera Malik and Tim Alfa operate in the eastern region of East Timor.

Naga Merah – Red Dragon – Ermera

Sakunar – led by Simao Lopes

Tatarah and Loromea operate in the southern region.

Rajawali (eagle) was formed as a spin off of Gada Paksi in the early 90s and was trained by Prabowo’s Kopassus troops.

Darah Integrasi (Blood of Integration) – based in Gleno in Ermera

Tim 59

Also there are militarised civilian forces that are on temporary contracts with TNI, with inferior pay and equipment. These are what in some countries are called "auxiliary forces". Groups include the self-defence forces called Wanra or RATIH and Keamanan Rakyat (People's Security) or Kamra. Official members of Wanra and Kamra are easy to distinguish from the other militia groups as they wear uniforms, carry themselves with a degree of military discipline and do not routinely carry M16s

Pro-integration groups

Forum Persatuan Demokrasi dan Keadilan (FPDK or Forum for Unity, Democracy and Justice) was established in late February 1999. It is headed by a Bupati of Dili Domingos Soares and controls the activities of the militias. Forum members are made up of local officials both Timorese and Indonesian. One of the spokespeople is Basilio Dias Araujo, who studied in the United Kingdom, speaks good English and is the deputy head of the provincial investment board (BKPMD), the body which makes the decision on who is allowed to invest in what field and where in East Timor.

The East Timor United People's Front (FUPTO), a pro-integration umbrella group founded April 30 1999 by Jakarta's roving ambassador for East Timor affairs, Francisco Lopes da Cruz

Chronology of TNI sponsored Paramilitary and Militia crimes.
(This Chronology makes no claims to be complete)

August 1998

While reiterating before the United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan, the pledge made in June to reduce the size of its military presence in East Timor, Indonesia is in fact sending in thousands of extra soldiers.

October 

In late October, the discovery of three Kopassus agents working undercover at a pro-independence rally in Alas enraged the crowd and resulted in the death of two of them. The subsequent brutal repression by the Indonesian army caused a mass exodus among the villagers, and the "disappearance" of many young Timorese who had been captured by the military. 

Killings, torture, burning of homes extends throughout Alas in November, and causes terrified people to flee and take refuge in churches. At the time, a round of negotiations was under way in New York between Portugal and Indonesia under the auspices of the UN. Portugal suspends the meetings, demanding clarification of the situation. The UN Secretary General reacted swiftly, condemning the operations that "could jeopardise the delicate efforts to find a just settlement". The negotiators agree to a visit to the territory by a representative of the UN Secretary General. However, once in East Timor, the envoy is prevented from visiting Alas. 

At least five thousand soldiers entered East Timor between August and November 1998. Evidence is obtained from confidential records of the Intelligence Services (SGI),

10 November 

400 Kopassus Group 4 special forces landed in Kupang by helicopter then entered East Timor by road. It is almost certain that their arrival is linked to a role with the SGI to supervise the militias.

27-29 November 

After two members of the armed forces were shot dead by an unidentified group of armed men in Cailaco a joint operation is launched to hunt down the killers. The operation is conducted by a unit composed of troops from the local Koramil, Halilintar paramilitaries, combat troops and the SGI. The troops fired shots into people's homes, and beat and tortured at least 7 people. 174 inhabitants of Cailaco managed to flee. Things worsened after the arrival of a helicopter to transport the bodies of the two soldiers back to Dili with six members of the SGI on board. These men started shouting "if the young people here carry on like this, we'll finish them off just like we did in Alas." 

26 December

The first action of Mahidi was attacking the residents of the village of Raimea, in the Covalima district. Some of the youth of the village were arrested and tortured. 

27 December

In Maubara, the Gada Paksi gang accompanied by Territorial Battalion (BTT) 143 troops arrested and tortured four local people and then raided the villagers’ houses. As a result, there were 143 people from this village who fled to Dili. They took refuge in the house of Manuel Carrascalao, a former supporter of Indonesia but now the head of pro-independence group GRPRTT.

2 January 1999

Mahidi checked every vehicle passing through the village of Cassa (directly south of Ainaro). The group arrested and interrogated 8 people.

Mahidi kidnap Carlito de Araujo, 22, of Suai-Covalima district and lock him up for a week. He is tortured for many hours and then pressured him to join Mahidi and receive Rp. 250,000 per month. He refuses.

3 January 

Mahidi was involved in a shooting of some pro-referendum youths in the village of Manutasi, in the sub-district of Ainaro Kota. Two youths were killed: Reinaldo Orleans (21), and Julio (23). Four youths were seriously wounded. 

23 January 

Mahidi and members of the Marine Post in Casa attacked the village of Webaba near Zumalai and severely mutilated and killed Fernando Cardoso (27) and one other. 

Fernando Cardoso (27) killed and mutilated by Mahidi death squad at Manutasi.

25 January 

Mahidi attacked Galitas village, Covalima district. They burnt the houses of the residents, then sadistically killed a pregnant woman named Angelina de Araujo (24). After shooting her dead, they cut up her corpse. With a knife, they cut open her abdomen and pulled out the foetus. Five other residents of the village were also killed including her father Olandino da Silva (45) who was beheaded, her brother Luis Pereira (16) who was shot and Rui Nasimento (50). Five residents were wounded by the shooting and three residents disappeared. Before dawn Galitas village was empty. Thousands of people joined what rapidly became a makeshift refugee camp in Suai. Survivors reported the militias arriving on regular army trucks and being supported by TNI troops. During the week, another 11 villages were terrorised and people seeking refuge in Suai rose to 6,000. "They are afraid because the people who are supposed to be protecting them, the armed forces, are the ones organising the terror," said Father Hilario. "It was the military and the militia together. They attack villages in daylight and at night they are sheltered at an Indonesian army base at Salele, 10 km away. They use a lot of traditional weapons, knives, crossbows, spears and whatever rifles the military gives them". Fr. Hilario says that many are recruited from West Timorese border villages. Mahidi maintain a checkpoint on the road from the capital Dili, which passes through Suai to West Timor. 

26 January

In Maubara a soldier from Koramil 03 forced villagers to register themselves as members of RATIH. Similar actions were taken by the Besi Merah Putih gang in village Maubara Lisa.

27 January 

Foreign Minister Ali Alatas announced that Indonesia would consider independence for the territory should its residents reject a broad autonomy offer. 

28 January 

Clementino Amaral (East Timorese head of the Dili delegation of Indonesia’s National Human Rights Commission) said "the military are giving weapons to the civilians who support Indonesian rule, which means they can shoot supporters of independence who do not have guns".