Maternus Bere [Motornus]

Laksaur subdistrict militia commander, Suai

KPP HAM mentioned Maternus (there named Motornus) in the executive summary of its report for his involvement in the Suai church massacre of 6 September 1999. The Indonesian Attorney General's Department initially listed him as well, for helping Lt Sugito dispose of bodies, but then dropped him and some others from the list to be prosecuted in April 2001 'because we haven't been able to find them.'[1]

On 28 February 2003 Maternus Bere was indicted before the Dili special panel for crimes against humanity over his role in the Suai church massacre, in numerous cases of murder, disappearance and torture, and in the mass deportation after the ballot result was announced. Indicted with him was his superior, Laksaur commander Igidio Manek and 12 others – further details are there.

He should not be confused with Martinus Bere, who was like him a teacher in Suai originally from Belu district in West Timor.

Extra Information Implicated in Events: Suai - 6/09/1999 - Suai church massacre Current Status: A - (Indonesian) Attorney General's Department. Announced as suspects at various times (September 2000 - April 2001), some later dropped, some already sentenced. K - KPP HAM. Listed in the 31/01/2000 report of the Indonesian commission of inquiry into atrocities committed in East Timor in 1999. More junior figures in Appendix 5 of the final report are added here under their superiors. See map of location This individual is also mentioned in these profiles: LtCol Lilik Kushadiyanto Igidio Manek Lt Sugito