DATE=6/29/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-251208
TITLE=EAST TIMOR / U-N ATTACK (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=PATRICIA NUNAN
DATELINE=JAKARTA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: A UNITED NATIONS OFFICE IN EAST TIMOR HAS COME UNDER
ATTACK BY A GROUP SUSPECTED TO BE A PRO-INDONESIA MILITIA. THE
ATTACK COMES AS A PRO-INDEPENDENCE LEADER TOLD THE ASSOCIATED
PRESS THAT A DISARMAMENT DEAL BETWEEN EAST TIMOR'S RIVAL FACTIONS
HAS BEEN REACHED DURING MEETINGS IN JAKARTA. PATRICIA NUNAN HAS
MORE FROM THE INDONESIAN CAPITAL.
TEXT: UNITED NATIONS OFFICIALS ARE CONFIRMING THAT THE ATTACK ON
THE U-N ELECTORAL OFFICE TOOK PLACE TUESDAY MORNING IN THE TOWN
OF MALIANA, 100 KILOMETERS WEST OF THE EAST TIMORESE CAPITAL,
DILI. AS MANY AS 12 PEOPLE WERE INJURED WHEN A GROUP THREW ROCKS
AT THE OFFICE.
IT IS THE FIRST ATTACK ON THE UNITED NATIONS SINCE IT BEGAN
DEPLOYING PERSONNEL IN EAST TIMOR LAST MONTH. U-N SPOKESMAN
DAVID WIMHURST SAYS THE U-N'S CHIEF SECURITY OFFICER IS ON HIS
WAY TO THE SITE TO INVESTIGATE THE INCIDENT.
WESTERN DIPLOMATIC SOURCES SAY ROUGHLY 100 MEMBERS OF THE
PRO-INTEGRATION MILITIA GROUP "HALILINTAR" -- OR "LIGHTNING" --
ARE BELIEVED TO HAVE CARRIED OUT THE ATTACK. IT IS ONE OF A
HANDFUL OF PRO-INDONESIA MILITIA GROUPS WHICH WANT EAST TIMOR TO
REMAIN A PART OF INDONESIA.
THE ATTACK COMES AS LEADERS FROM EAST TIMOR'S RIVAL
PRO-INDEPENDENCE AND PRO-INTEGRATION FACTIONS ANNOUNCED THAT
THEY HAD REACHED AN AGREEMENT ON HOW TO DISARM AHEAD OF THE
AUGUST AUTONOMY REFERENDUM. BUT SO FAR NEITHER SIDE HAS RELEASED
ANY DETAILS ABOUT THE DEAL -- REACHED DURING PEACE TALKS IN THE
INDONESIAN CAPITAL.
EAST TIMORESE SPIRITUAL LEADER BISHOP CARLOS BELO ORGANIZED THE
TALKS, WHICH FOLLOW THE SIGNING OF A PEACE ACCORD BETWEEN THE
TWO OPPOSING SIDES EARLIER THIS MONTH.
CLASHES BETWEEN PRO-INDEPENDENCE AND PRO-INTEGRATION GROUPS HAVE
RISEN DRAMATICALLY SINCE JANUARY, WHEN THE INDONESIAN GOVERNMENT
ANNOUNCED IT MAY GRANT EAST TIMOR FULL INDEPENDENCE. A
LOW-INTENSITY CIVIL WAR HAS BEEN FOUGHT OVER THE FORMER
PORTUGUESE COLONY EVER SINCE THE INDONESIAN MILITARY INVADED IN
1975.
// REST OPT //
EARLIER THIS MONTH, U-N OFFICIALS IN EAST TIMOR ACCUSED THE
INDONESIAN MILITARY OF "DIRECTING" A PRO-INTEGRATION MILITIA
GROUP WHILE IT ATTACKED A VILLAGE. HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS SAY SUCH
ATTACKS ARE AN EFFORT TO PRESSURE PEOPLE TO VOTE IN FAVOR OF
INTEGRATION IN THE AUGUST REFERENDUM.
THE UNITED NATIONS HAS ALREADY DELAYED THE REFERENDUM BY AT LEAST
TWO WEEKS DUE TO SECURITY CONCERNS. THE REFERENDUM IS INTENDED
TO ALLOW THE EAST TIMORESE PEOPLE TO CHOOSE WHETHER THEY WILL
ACCEPT AN INDONESIAN GOVERNMENT OFFER TO OFFICIALLY INTEGRATE
WITH INDONESIA UNDER A WIDE-RANGING AUTONOMY PLAN. IF THEY
REJECT THAT PLAN, THE INDONESIAN GOVERNMENT SAYS IT WILL
CONSIDER GRANTING EAST TIMOR FULL INDEPENDENCE. (SIGNED)
NEB/PN/GC/JO/PLM
29-Jun-99 5:15 AM EDT (0915 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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