• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

DATE=6/24/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-251038
TITLE=INDONESIA / EAST TIMOR (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=PATRICIA NUNAN
DATELINE=JAKARTA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:  
INTRO: THE U-N SPECIAL ENVOY HAS ARRIVED IN EAST TIMOR  --  AMID 
RISING TENSIONS BETWEEN THE UNITED NATIONS AND THE INDONESIAN 
GOVERNMENT OVER A DELAYED REFERENDUM ON THE FUTURE OF THE 
DISPUTED TERRITORY. BUT AS PATRICIA NUNAN REPORTS FROM JAKARTA, 
THE UNITED NATIONS SAYS IT STILL BELIEVES THE VOTE ON EAST 
TIMOR'S FUTURE STATUS WILL BE SUCCESSFUL.
TEXT:  THE U-N SPECIAL ENVOY TO EAST TIMOR, JAMSHEED MARKER, SAYS
HE IS "REASONABLY OPTIMISTIC" ABOUT PLANS TO HOLD THE REFERENDUM 
IN AUGUST.  DESPITE CONCERNS ABOUT THE SECURITY SITUATION IN EAST
TIMOR, MR. MARKER SAYS HE HAS RECEIVED "VERY CREDIBLE ASSURANCES"
FROM TOP INDONESIAN OFFICIALS THAT STEPS WILL BE TAKEN TO ENSURE 
THE VOTE IS CARRIED OUT IN  A PEACEFUL ATMOSPHERE.
THE REFERENDUM IS INTENDED TO END OVER TWO DECADES OF BLOODSHED 
IN EAST TIMOR, WHICH BEGAN WHEN THE INDONESIAN MILITARY INVADED 
THE FORMER PORTUGUESE COLONY IN 1975.  THE EAST TIMORESE PEOPLE 
WILL VOTE ON WHETHER TO FORMALLY INTEGRATE WITH INDONESIA UNDER A
WIDE-RANGING AUTONOMY PLAN.  IF THEY REJECT THAT PLAN, THE 
INDONESIAN GOVERNMENT SAYS IT WILL  CONSIDER GRANTING THE 
TERRITORY FULL INDEPENDENCE.
MEANWHILE IN JAKARTA, THE INDONESIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY HAS ACCUSED
THE UNITED NATIONS OF OVERSTEPPING ITS MANDATE IN EAST TIMOR.  
THE FOREIGN MINISTRY IS PROTESTING A SEARCH CONDUCTED BY TWO U-N 
CIVILIAN POLICE OFFICERS OF TWO HOMES OUTSIDE THE EAST TIMORESE 
CAPITAL, DILI -- AN ACT THE FOREIGN  MINISTRY SAYS IS NOT THE JOB
OF THE UNITED NATIONS.
THE U-N SPOKESMAN IN EAST TIMOR, DAVID WIMHURST, DENIES THE 
CHARGES. HE SAYS THE SEARCH FOR ILLEGAL WEAPONS WAS CONDUCTED BY 
INDONESIAN  AUTHORITIES -- IN THE PRESENCE OF U-N OFFICIALS.
AT LEAST 34 PEOPLE HAVE DIED IN THE PAST TWO MONTHS IN EAST TIMOR
IN CLASHES BETWEEN INDEPENDENCE SUPPORTERS AND PRO-INDONESIA 
MILITIA GROUPS -- WHICH HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICIALS SAY RECEIVE 
WEAPONS AND SUPPORT  FROM THE INDONESIAN MILITARY.
INDONESIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY OFFICIALS WERE SURPRISED BY THE U-N 
ANNOUNCEMENT THAT THE REFERENDUM IN EAST TIMOR -- ORIGINALLY 
SCHEDULED FOR AUGUST EIGHTH  -- WOULD BE DELAYED BY AT LEAST TWO 
WEEKS DUE IN PART TO SECURITY CONCERNS.
THE OFFICIALS SAY THE SECURITY SITUATION IS ALREADY CONDUCIVE TO 
HOLDING A SUCCESSFUL BALLOT  -- AND THEY WANT THE UNITED NATIONS 
TO EXPLAIN ITS REASONS FOR THE DELAY. (SIGNED)
NEB/PN/GC/JO/KL
24-Jun-99 7:06 AM EDT (1106 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.