DATE=5/15/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-249406
TITLE=EAST TIMOR/ UN (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=JENNY GRANT
DATELINE=DILI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: (EDS: ACTS MAY BE LOW LEVEL)
INTRO: EAST TIMOR'S BISHOP CARLOS BELO SAYS HIS TERRITORY NEEDS
THOUSANDS OF UNITED NATIONS PEACE KEEPING PERSONNEL IF A BALLOT
ON SPECIAL AUTONOMY IS TO BE FAIR. FROM DILI, JENNY GRANT
REPORTS THAT A NEW GROUP OF U-N PERSONNEL ARRIVED SATURDAY TO
ASSESS CONDITIONS FOR THE DIRECT VOTE.
TEXT: BISHOP BELO SAYS HE BELIEVES THE AUGUST 8TH BALLOT ON
SPECIAL AUTONOMY WILL NOT BE FREE OR FAIR UNDER THE CURRENT
VIOLENT CONDITIONS IN EAST TIMOR.
PRO-JAKARTA MILITIAS -- BACKED BY THE MILITARY -- HAVE CREATED
HAVOC IN DILI AND IN REMOTE VILLAGES KILLING AND KIDNAPPING
CIVILIANS.
BISHOP BELO SAYS THE PLANNED CONTINGENT OF 250 U-N POLICE MUST BE
MUCH LARGER TO HAVE ANY REAL IMPACT.
// ACT BELO //
I WENT ALREADY TO THE COUNTRYSIDE. THE PEOPLE TELL ME
THAT THEY DON'T BELIEVE IN THE POLICE (IF THEY ARE ONLY)
ONLY 250. IT IS NECESSARY TO MULTIPLY THE NUMBER (TO)
6-THOUSAND, 8-THOUSAND, I DON'T KNOW. NOT ONLY POLICE,
BUT ALSO THE MILITARY FROM DIFFERENT COUNTRIES.
// ACT ENDS //
THE U-N'S CHIEF POLICE ADVISOR, OM RATHOR, TOLD V-O-A THE MAXIMUM
NUMBER OF POLICE HE IS WILLING TO DEPLOY TO EAST TIMOR IS 272.
BUT HE SAYS THOSE POLICE WILL BE HIGHLY-TRAINED. MOST OF THEM
ARE POLICE INSPECTORS, WHO WILL WORK TO TRAIN AND HELP DISCIPLINE
THE LOCAL POLICE FORCE.
THE POLICE -- WHO WILL NOT ARRIVE FOR ANOTHER TWO WEEKS -- WILL
NOT CARRY WEAPONS.
MR. RATHOR SAYS THE POLICE WILL BE ARMED, INSTEAD, WITH MORAL
AUTHORITY AND ACT AS AN EXAMPLE OF HOW THE SOCIETY CAN FUNCTION
WITHOUT WEAPONS.
LOCALS SAY THEY ARE DISTRESSED THAT U-N SECURITY PERSONNEL HAVE
NOT ARRIVED SOONER AND IN LARGER NUMBERS.
BISHOP BELO SAYS PEOPLE IN THE COUNTRYSIDE ARE BEING TERRORIZED
BY PRO-JAKARTA MILITIAS IN THE TIME BEFORE THE U-N POLICE ARRIVE.
HE SAYS IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT ARMED U-N POLICE BE DEPLOYED TO
VILLAGES WHERE THE VIOLENCE IS HAPPENING.
THE BISHOP SAYS IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THE AUGUST BALLOT NOT BE
DELAYED BY THE FIGHTING.
// ACT BELO //
I DON'T THINK SO. IT SHOULD REMAIN THE SAME DAY UNLESS
THE U-N SEND(S) THE REAL PEACEKEEPING FORCE WITH ARMS TO
STAY IN THE VILLAGES. NOT ONLY IN THE CITY, BUT IN THE
SUB-DISTRICTS, IN VILLAGES AND REMOTE AREAS, TO GIVE
CONFIDENCE TO THE POPULATION TO VOTE.
// ACT ENDS //
A CONTINGENT OF JAPANESE U-N PERSONNEL ARRIVED IN EAST TIMOR
SATURDAY TO PLAN FOR BALLOT MONITORING.
THE MISSION HAS NOW BEEN OFFICIALLY NAMED "UNAMET," THE U-N
ASSISTANCE MISSION IN EAST TIMOR.
A U-N SPOKESMAN SAYS THE MISSION WILL OFFICIALLY OPEN AN OFFICE
IN DILI NEXT WEEK AND RAISE THE OFFICIAL FLAG. (SIGNED)
NEB/JG/GE
15-May-99 11:10 AM EDT (1510 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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