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Lospalos case

UNSOLVED1999Lospalos, Lautém, East Timor2 SOURCESUPDATED JUL 2026
Illustrative

The Lospalos case, also referred to as the Lospalos massacre or the Lautém massacre, describes a series of killings committed by the Indonesian Army and pro-Indonesian militias in and around Lospalos, in the Lautém district of East Timor, roughly between April and September 1999. These events occurred during the broader 1999 East Timorese Crisis.

According to available sourcing, the background to the case includes the killing of a clandestine member, Rosa Maria, by members of a group known as Team Alfa in January, as she hid in a forest in Lautém.

The killings escalated through 1999. On 21 April, pro-Indonesian militants tortured and stabbed to death a Falintil member, Evaristo Lopes; on the same day, Virgilio de Sousa was stabbed to death at his home in Somoco. Two days later, a former Falintil member, Lamberto da Silva, was killed by Indonesian soldiers at Panili Cacaven hill in Cacaven.

In September, the violence intensified. Nine people — named as Afonso dos Santos, Nberto da Luz, Nato, Joao, Sikito, Olantino, Jaime, Marito, Serpa Pinto and Francisco dos Santos — disappeared after being detained by Indonesian soldiers in Fuiloro. On 9 September, Indonesian soldiers killed a man named Mateus Nunes at a military post in Cacaven, cutting his throat and disposing of his body in a well. Between 8 and 10 September, five men — Antonio da Costa, Ambrosio Bernardino Alves, Julio de Jesus, Florencio Monteiro and Florentino Monteiro — were summarily executed by Indonesian soldiers while in custody in Fuiloro. Between 10 and 13 September, five more men — Joaquim Ovi Marais, Antonio Oliveira, Marito Bernardino, Paul and Serafim — were killed by Indonesian soldiers in Raça. Around 13 September, Martinho Branco, Marcelio Jeronimo, Julião de Azis and Helder de Azis were detained and then killed by Indonesian soldiers in Fuiloro.

On 20 September, Indonesian soldiers tortured and beat to death Agusto Soares and João Gomes on a beach in Parlamento; another man, Amilcar Barros, was also killed. The following day, Team Alfa members killed Afredo Araújo and Calisto Rodrigues; in Com, João Viela was killed, and Benedito Marques Cabral was also killed nearby.

On 25 September, Indonesian soldiers and Team Alfa members shot dead nine people on the bank of the Malailada (Veromoco) River. Among the dead were nuns Erminia Cazzaniga and Maria Celeste de Carvalho Pinto, a priest, Jacinto Francisco Xavier, seminarians Titi Sandora Cornelio Lopes and Valerio Pereira de Conceição, a nurse identified as Dora, a church employee, Fernando dos Santos, a teenage altar boy, Cristovão Rudy Freitas Barato, and an Indonesian journalist, Agus Muliawan.

No named individuals are recorded in the source material as having been charged, convicted, acquitted, or exonerated in relation to these killings.

Key facts

Victims
Joaquim Ovi Marais, Lamberto da Silva, Calisto Rodrigues, Julião de Azis, Mateus Nunes, Amilcar Barros, Benedito Marques Cabral, Rosa Maria, Evaristo Lopes, Agusto Soares, Florencio Monteiro, João Viela, Paul, Agus Muliawan, Florentino Monteiro, Ambrosio Bernardino Alves, João Gomes, Serafim, Julio de Jesus, Martinho Branco, Valerio Pereira de Conceição, Maria Celeste de Carvalho Pinto, Titi Sandora Cornelio Lopes, Afredo Araújo, Marito Bernardino, Antonio Oliveira, Marcelio Jeronimo, Erminia Cazzaniga, Jacinto Francisco Xavier, Cristovão Rudy Freitas Barato, Fernando dos Santos, Virgilio de Sousa, Dora, Antonio da Costa, Helder de Azis
Date
1999
Location
Lospalos, Lautém, East Timor
Case status
unsolved

Case timeline

  1. 1999-01

    Clandestine member Rosa Maria was killed by Team Alfa members while hiding in a forest in Lautém.

  2. 1999-04-21

    Pro-Indonesian militants tortured and stabbed to death Falintil member Evaristo Lopes; Virgilio de Sousa was stabbed to death at his home in Somoco.

  3. 1999-04-23

    Former Falintil member Lamberto da Silva was killed by Indonesian soldiers at Panili Cacaven hill in Cacaven.

  4. 1999-09-08

    Beginning of the summary execution of five men (Antonio da Costa, Ambrosio Bernardino Alves, Julio de Jesus, Florencio Monteiro and Florentino Monteiro) in custody in Fuiloro, continuing through 10 September.

  5. 1999-09-09

    Indonesian soldiers killed Mateus Nunes at a military post in Cacaven, cutting his throat and disposing of his body in a well.

  6. 1999-09-10

    Beginning of the killing of five men (Joaquim Ovi Marais, Antonio Oliveira, Marito Bernardino, Paul and Serafim) by Indonesian soldiers in Raça, continuing through 13 September.

  7. 1999-09-13

    Martinho Branco, Marcelio Jeronimo, Julião de Azis and Helder de Azis were detained and killed by Indonesian soldiers in Fuiloro; nine other people disappeared after detention in Fuiloro around this period in September.

  8. 1999-09-20

    Indonesian soldiers tortured and beat to death Agusto Soares and João Gomes on a beach in Parlamento; Amilcar Barros was also killed.

  9. 1999-09-21

    Team Alfa members killed Afredo Araújo and Calisto Rodrigues; João Viela was killed in Com, and Benedito Marques Cabral was killed nearby.

  10. 1999-09-25

    Indonesian soldiers and Team Alfa members shot dead nine people on the bank of the Malailada (Veromoco) River, including two nuns, a priest, two seminarians, a nurse, a church employee, a teenage altar boy, and an Indonesian journalist.

Best coverage

No approved coverage links are attached yet.

People

  • Joaquim Ovi Marais

    VICTIM

    Killed by Indonesian soldiers in Raça, 10-13 September 1999.

  • Lamberto da Silva

    VICTIM

    Former Falintil member killed by Indonesian soldiers at Panili Cacaven hill on 23 April 1999.

  • Calisto Rodrigues

    VICTIM

    Killed by Team Alfa members on 21 September 1999.

  • Julião de Azis

    VICTIM

    Detained and killed by Indonesian soldiers in Fuiloro around 13 September 1999.

  • Mateus Nunes

    VICTIM

    Killed by Indonesian soldiers at a military post in Cacaven on 9 September 1999.

  • Amilcar Barros

    VICTIM

    Killed on a beach in Parlamento on 20 September 1999.

  • Benedito Marques Cabral

    VICTIM

    Killed near Com on 21 September 1999.

  • Rosa Maria

    VICTIM

    Clandestine member killed by Team Alfa members in January 1999 while hiding in a forest in Lautém.

  • Evaristo Lopes

    VICTIM

    Falintil member tortured and stabbed to death by pro-Indonesian militants on 21 April 1999.

  • Agusto Soares

    VICTIM

    Tortured and beaten to death by Indonesian soldiers on a beach in Parlamento on 20 September 1999.

  • Florencio Monteiro

    VICTIM

    Summarily executed by Indonesian soldiers while in custody in Fuiloro, 8-10 September 1999.

  • João Viela

    VICTIM

    Killed in Com on 21 September 1999.

  • Paul

    VICTIM

    Killed by Indonesian soldiers in Raça, 10-13 September 1999.

  • Agus Muliawan

    VICTIM

    Indonesian journalist shot dead on the bank of the Malailada (Veromoco) River on 25 September 1999.

  • Florentino Monteiro

    VICTIM

    Summarily executed by Indonesian soldiers while in custody in Fuiloro, 8-10 September 1999.

  • Ambrosio Bernardino Alves

    VICTIM

    Summarily executed by Indonesian soldiers while in custody in Fuiloro, 8-10 September 1999.

  • João Gomes

    VICTIM

    Tortured and beaten to death by Indonesian soldiers on a beach in Parlamento on 20 September 1999.

  • Serafim

    VICTIM

    Killed by Indonesian soldiers in Raça, 10-13 September 1999.

  • Julio de Jesus

    VICTIM

    Summarily executed by Indonesian soldiers while in custody in Fuiloro, 8-10 September 1999.

  • Martinho Branco

    VICTIM

    Detained and killed by Indonesian soldiers in Fuiloro around 13 September 1999.

  • Valerio Pereira de Conceição

    VICTIM

    Seminarian shot dead on the bank of the Malailada (Veromoco) River on 25 September 1999.

  • Maria Celeste de Carvalho Pinto

    VICTIM

    Nun shot dead on the bank of the Malailada (Veromoco) River on 25 September 1999.

  • Titi Sandora Cornelio Lopes

    VICTIM

    Seminarian shot dead on the bank of the Malailada (Veromoco) River on 25 September 1999.

  • Afredo Araújo

    VICTIM

    Killed by Team Alfa members on 21 September 1999.

  • Marito Bernardino

    VICTIM

    Killed by Indonesian soldiers in Raça, 10-13 September 1999.

  • Antonio Oliveira

    VICTIM

    Killed by Indonesian soldiers in Raça, 10-13 September 1999.

  • Marcelio Jeronimo

    VICTIM

    Detained and killed by Indonesian soldiers in Fuiloro around 13 September 1999.

  • Erminia Cazzaniga

    VICTIM

    Nun shot dead on the bank of the Malailada (Veromoco) River on 25 September 1999.

  • Jacinto Francisco Xavier

    VICTIM

    Priest shot dead on the bank of the Malailada (Veromoco) River on 25 September 1999.

  • Cristovão Rudy Freitas Barato

    VICTIM

    Teenage altar boy shot dead on the bank of the Malailada (Veromoco) River on 25 September 1999.

  • Fernando dos Santos

    VICTIM

    Church employee shot dead on the bank of the Malailada (Veromoco) River on 25 September 1999.

  • Virgilio de Sousa

    VICTIM

    Stabbed to death at his home in Somoco on 21 April 1999.

  • Dora

    VICTIM

    Nurse shot dead on the bank of the Malailada (Veromoco) River on 25 September 1999.

  • Antonio da Costa

    VICTIM

    Summarily executed by Indonesian soldiers while in custody in Fuiloro, 8-10 September 1999.

  • Helder de Azis

    VICTIM

    Detained and killed by Indonesian soldiers in Fuiloro around 13 September 1999.

Roles reflect public records and court outcomes at the time of writing — supporting citations are on file under Sources.

Places

Lospalos, Lautém, East Timor

-8.5167, 127.0500

View on the map

Common questions

What happened to the victim?
Between April and September 1999, the Indonesian Army and pro-Indonesian militias carried out a series of killings in and around Lospalos, Lautém, East Timor, during the 1999 East Timorese Crisis, resulting in the deaths and disappearances of numerous civilians, clandestine members, and religious personnel.
Where did the crime happen?
Lospalos, Lautém, East Timor.
What is the current status of the case?
Status: unsolved.
More cases in Timor-Leste

Sources

  1. ENCYCLOPEDICLospalos caseWikipedia · 2026-07-10
  2. PRESSUnlawful Killings and Enforced Disappearances (CAVR Report Chapter 7.2)etan.org · 2026-07-10