Operation Cahaya

Operation Cahaya
Part of Indonesian occupation of East Timor
Date6 April–31 December 1978
Location
Matebian, East Timor
Result
  • Indonesian victory
Belligerents
Indonesia FRETILIN
Commanders and leaders
Indonesia Mohammad Jusuf Democratic Republic of East Timor (1975) Nicolau dos Reis Lobato †
Alarico Fernandes Surrendered
Units involved
 FALINTIL
Strength
5 OV-10 Bronco
3 F-5
2 A-4 Skyhawk
13 Battalions from Kostrad		 Thousands of soldiers
Casualties and losses
Unknown Hundreds of soldiers were killed
Many of the civilians killed by the bombing

Operation Cahaya (lit. 'Light'; Indonesian: Operasi Cahaya) was a military operation launched by Indonesia with objective to capture many Fretilin top leaders and attack Fretilin's primary base on Mount Matebian. The operation also known as the last larger Indonesian offensive attack in East Timor, after Operation Seroja and Battle of Dili. The operation resulted in the ambush and assassination of Nicolau Lobato, the surrender of Fretilin leaders, and the primary base on Mount Matebian were captured by Indonesian forces and ended the invasion of East Timor.

Background

In 1975, Indonesia launched a large scale offensive on East Timor, the offensive were successfull and most of the East Timor territory was captured by Indonesian forces.[1][2] After the invasions, Indonesia occupied most of East Tmor but the Fretilin guerilla movement was still active. At the same time ABRI started to reduced their forces in East Timor and with this actions, Fretilin feel confident that they could strike back. However, internals problems and bloody massacre within Fretilin failed to make it happened.[3][4]

With support from the United States, they started sending 13 North American Rockwell OV-10 Bronco aircraft to supports Indonesian military activities in Papua conflict and Operation Seroja. The Indonesian forces carried out the military offensive on Mount Ossoala and Mount Mundo Perdido which obstructed and crackdown many Fretilin guerrilla activities and bombed their bases.[5][6] On 6 April 1978, when Mohammad Jusuf was promoted as the General of Army, he launched a military operation codenamed "Operation Cahaya" targeting Fretilin top commanders to surrendered or killed, disrupting Fretilin communications, and defeating the Fretilin primary base on Matebian.[7][8]

Operations

In 1978, Kostrad send 13 Battalions to the East sides under command of RTP 18 Kostrad. The new mobilize Kostrad troops started a blockade and a siege on Matebian. The operations involved Kostrad battalions, Army Infantry Battalions, Marine corps, Air forces. An ex-Kostrad officer reported the tactics during the sieges on Matebian:[9]

Every units has their own routes and attacked in other flanks. Before attacked they are coordinating to avoid the friendly fire. We planned to attack in the same time with using L formation, we doing all of this to avoid friendly fire and the death of our companion.[10]

The attack was a final of Indonesian offensives on East Timor and Fretilin prepared Matebian as the retreated zone with the food supplies. When the campaign started, the Fretilin led the civilians to the Mount Matebian with the strong defences in the entire zone. However this zone was falling to Indonesian hands quickly and by 22 November they kept pushing and bombarded the Fretilin positions in the last of the free zone by using with rockets and mortars.[9][11]

Bombing on Matebian

The key of the Indonesian success during the operations was the bombing action at Matebian by the Air force using OV-10 Bronco, F-5, and A-4 Skyhawk. The bombing started in September or October 1978 and taking place in middle of November. Many of the civilian's statement that the bombing was bombed many of their targets including the civilians and occurred the massacres of civilians. Tomas Soares Da Silva, the Timorese civilians who is sixteen years old at the time, told many stories about the bombing:[7][12]

The bombing occurred in October and November at Mount Matebian. One bomb was an poisoned bomb, when the bombers dropped the poisoned bomb in morning day, many of the civilians become the victims of the bomb. We seeing the explosive when the grass are burned, the bomb burned many grass and in this territory all of their was destroyed by the bombs.[13][14]

Surrender of Fretilin Leaders

In November 1978, the Fretilin minister of communications and security, Alarico Fernandes, was surrendered after being besieged by Indonesian forces. After the surrender of Alarico Fernandes, other Fretilin figures also decided to surrendered in 22 December and when the civilians was leaved the Matebian the Indonesian forces brought them to the camp and other civilians was interrogated except Xanana Gusmão.[14] In his autobiography Xanana wrote:

The enemy quickly advanced our positions and when my troops were sended to Western Matebian. Explosives, death of the civilians, tears, and back down. But the people quiet maybe tired of the conditions but we already prepared to died over there my forces was retreated and the enemy pushed the forward.

One day i woke up when one of the enemy troops called my name with the loud speaker. They said: "Adjunto Xanana, not need continued the attacks, command your forces to surrender!"

They go from Uatarbacau in the single night and moved through the strategic postions in Uatarbacau to forced our troops to surrendered.[15]

Ambush on Maubisse

Then Captain of Nanggala-28 Kopassus, Prabowo Subianto, was deployed to captured Nicolau Lobato. The 744th Infantry Battalion under the leadership of Yunus Yosifah also involved at this ambush and with the help of 700th Infantry Battalions and 01st Infantry Battalion. On December 30, 1978 at 05.00 the Commander of the Nanggala-28 team, Capt. Prabowo Subianto reported to Major Yunus Yosfiah of the Fretilin troop movements toward the south with a large estimate of troops. Central Sector Commander, Colonel Tottori Sahala King, immediately ordered a siege against the target. The formation used by TNI troops are:[16]

  1. Team Nanggala-28 (Kopassus): North side
  2. 700th and 401st Infantry battalions: East side
  3. 744th Infantry battalions: as the spearhead of the attack

Colonel Sahala Rajagukguk who also received the reports decided to strengthen the blockade of Lobato forces to encircled the Fretilin movements. Captain Prabowo Subianto also received the order to coordinate the sieges with the entire powers of forces. The Nanggal 28 advanced to the enemy locations and started the attacks by firing the gun to the Nicolau Lobato and his entire forces. Gunfire occurred on both sides which led to the Lobato guard troops were killed. Lobato tried to run with the rest of his troops but the Indonesian troops succeeded blocking their movements. The 744 Infantry Battalion intercept the Lobato forces and a gunfight occurred again which resulted Lobato being killed by Sergeant Jacobus Maradebo. After Lobato death, Mohammad Jusuf as the ABRI commander reported to Suharto that Nicolau Lobato was killed and eliminated.[17]

Aftermath

With the fall and bombing of Fretilin primary bases on Matebian, thousand of civilians surrendered and in early 1979 the Indonesian forces diverted their attention to the rest of Fretilin forces and civilians at the valley of Dilor rivers, Ermera, Fatubesi, and Mount Kablaki district located at Ainaro-Manufahi borders. ABRI offensive at Fatubesi cause an internal splits on the Fretilin structure and at the early February one of the Fretilin fractions surrendered to Indonesians forces. The Fretilin companies who refused to surrender was chased by ABRI forces. In Mount Kablaki, Indonesian troops forced the civilians to leave the mount and they were captured by Indonesian forces who were waiting on them.[18]

In South Manatuto the Indonesian Marine supported by Air force launched a new operation codenamed "Operation Pembersihan" aimed to cleared another Fretilin guerillas base. Meanwhile the unit military who still in Matebian was relocated to Baucau and Lautém (city) in order to blockade the remaining Fretilin companies. In February 1979, Mau Lear, one of the commander of Fretilin companies, was captured and executed in the same time. Fretilin troops who were captured by Indonesian forces was relocated to a holding camp. By 26 March 1979, Operation Seroja ended and successfully annexed East Timor.[19][20]

References

  1. ^ John G 1991, p. 70.
  2. ^ Hendro 1997, p. 190.
  3. ^ John G 1991, p. 78.
  4. ^ John G 1991, p. 79.
  5. ^ Antonio 2006, p. 80.
  6. ^ Antonio 2006, p. 81.
  7. ^ a b Antonio 2006, p. 82.
  8. ^ Carmel 1984, p. 30.
  9. ^ a b Antonio 2006, p. 83.
  10. ^ Nicolo 2010, p. 79.
  11. ^ Nicolo 2010, p. 80.
  12. ^ Nicolo 2010, p. 82.
  13. ^ Nicolo 2010, p. 84.
  14. ^ a b Antonio 2006, p. 84.
  15. ^ Xanana 2000, p. 56.
  16. ^ Mufika, Nurfaudah (2021-08-03). "'Tangkap Nicolao Lobato, Hidup atau Mati!' Kisah Operasi Tempur Timor Leste saat Pasukan Prabowo Subianto Hujani Timah Panas ke Presiden Fretilin". intisari.grid.id (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2025-03-09.
  17. ^ Rizal, Mukhdi (2018-02-09). "Operasi militer TNI tembak mati Presiden Nicolao Lobato". merdeka.com (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2025-03-09.
  18. ^ Nicolo 2010, p. 90.
  19. ^ Korps Marinir TNI AL 1970-2000. Dinas Penerangan Korps Marinir. 2000. pp. 276–279.
  20. ^ John G 1991, p. 96.

Sources

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