DATE=5/8/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-249118
TITLE=EAST TIMOR / SECURITY / L-O
BYLINE=JENNY GRANT
DATELINE=DILI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: THE UNITED NATIONS' CHIEF POLICE ADVISOR ARRIVED IN EAST
TIMOR, SATURDAY, TO ASSESS SECURITY PREPARATIONS FOR A BALLOT ON
SPECIAL AUTONOMY. FROM THE EAST TIMOR CAPITAL, DILI, JENNY GRANT
REPORTS PRO-INDONESIA MILITIA GROUPS HANDED OVER WEAPONS TO THE
MILITARY BUT HAVE PLEDGED TO KEEP FIGHTING.
TEXT: U-N CHIEF POLICE ADVISOR O-M RATHOR SAYS TIME TO PLAN FOR
THE POLICE MISSION IS SHORT.
IN THE AUGUST EIGHTH BALLOT, EAST TIMORESE WILL VOTE WHETHER TO
ACCEPT OR REJECT AN AUTONOMY PROPOSAL TO STAY WITHIN THE
INDONESIAN NATION.
MR. RATHOR SAYS SECURITY FOR THE BALLOT IS ESSENTIAL.
// RATHOR ACTUALITY //
WE HAVE TO SEE THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE DIRECT BALLOT
AND WHAT SECURITY ARRANGEMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE. THE MAIN
ROLE WE WILL TRY TO ASSEMBLE SOME SENIOR OFFICERS --
COMPETENT ONES FROM DIFFERENT NATIONS -- TO ADVISE THE
LOCAL POLICE.
// END ACTUALITY//
MR. RATHOR -- WHO HAS PREVIOUSLY WORKED ON U-N POLICE MISSIONS IN
THE BALKANS -- SAYS THERE WILL BE ABOUT 250 POLICE. HE SAYS IT
IS STILL IT HAS NOT BEEN DECIDED WHETHER MEMBERS OF THE
CONTINGENT WILL CARRY WEAPONS.
THERE ARE ALREADY 10 U-N STAFF IN EAST TIMOR, LOOKING AT
LOGISTICAL AND SECURITY PREPARATIONS FOR THE BALLOT.
AUSTRALIA'S AMBASSADOR TO INDONESIA -- JOHN MCCARTHY, WHO HAS
BEEN IN EAST TIMOR FOR THREE DAYS -- SAYS THE UNITED NATIONS TASK
IS TOUGH, ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE SMALL SIZE OF THE CONTINGENT.
AROUND 600 U-N PEOPLE ARE EXPECTED TO ARRIVE HERE FOR THE AUGUST
BALLOT.
MR. MCCARTHY SAYS FEELINGS ARE RUNNING HIGH IN EAST TIMOR AND THE
UNITED NATIONS HAS ONLY A SHORT TIME TO PREPARE. BUT HE POINTS
TO NAMIBIA AND CAMBODIA AS EXAMPLES OF WHERE THERE U-N TASK
FORCES HAVE BEEN ABLE TO BE A POSITIVE FACTOR, UNDER DIFFICULT
CIRCUMSTANCES.
AS BOTH OFFICIALS WERE DISCUSSING SECURITY, PRO -INDONESIA
MILITIA GROUPS SYMBOLICALLY HANDED OVER TRADITIONAL WEAPONS TO
THE POLICE IN LIQUICA -- 38 KILOMETERS WEST OF DILI.
AT THE PARAMILITARY RALLY IN LIQUICA, A CROWD OF THREE THOUSAND
PEOPLE CHEERED AS MILITIAS GAVE POLICE 32 OF THEIR CRUDELY-MADE
SHOTGUNS AND PISTOLS. SOME OF THE HOMEMADE WEAPONS HAD BARRELS
ATTACHED WITH GAFFER TAPE AND ROPE.
// GUTERRES ACTUALITY, IN AND UNDER //
MILITIA LEADER EURICO GUTERRES SAYS HE HOPES THE SYMBOLIC
HANDOVER IS A WAY OF MAKING PEACE. HE SAYS HE WANTS THE
PRO-INDEPENDENCE GUERRILLAS TO HAND OVER THE GUNS THAT THEY HAVE.
HE PLEDGED FIGHTING WOULD CONTINUE, IF THE GUERRILLAS DO NOT
BEGIN TO DISARM.
// REST OPTIONAL //
JUST WEEKS AGO, MR GUTERRES LED A MILITIA ATTACK ON A CHURCH IN
LIQUICA, WHICH KILLED MORE THAN 30 REFUGEES SEEKING SHELTER. IN
THE FOLLOWING WEEKS HIS MEN KILLED ANOTHER 30 PEOPLE IN A
MASSACRE IN THE CAPITAL, DILI,.
THE CONFLICTING GROUPS SIGNED A PEACE ACCORD AFTER THE LAST
ATTACK, BUT -- SINCE THEN -- A NUMBER OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED
IN SEPARATE INCIDENTS.
ANALYSTS SAY, WITH THE INDONESIAN MILITARY BACKING THE
PRO-JAKARTA MILITIAS, IT MAY BE DIFFICULT FOR THE UNITED NATIONS
CONTINGENT TO ENFORCE THE PEACE ESSENTIAL FOR THE BALLOT.
(SIGNED)
NEB / WD / WD
08-May-99 7:18 AM EDT (1118 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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