DATE=7/4/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-251402
TITLE=EAST TIMOR / INDONESIA / L-O
BYLINE=PATRICIA NUNAN
DATELINE=JAKARTA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: THE INDONESIAN FOREIGN MINISTER HAS REPEATED A PLEDGE THE
GOVERNMENT WILL WORK WITH THE UNITED NATIONS IN THE DISPUTED
TERRITORY, EAST TIMOR -- DESPITE RECENT INCIDENTS OF HARASSMENT
OF UNITED NATIONS PERSONNEL BY PRO-INDONESIA MILITIA GROUPS. AS
PATRICIA NUNAN REPORTS FROM JAKARTA, ALI ALATAS WAS SPEAKING
AFTER A HISTORIC MEETING WITH TOP EAST TIMORESE INDEPENDENCE
LEADERS.
TEXT: THE MEETING WAS THE LATEST IN A SERIES OF GESTURES
INDONESIAN FOREIGN MINISTER ALI ALATAS HAS MADE TOWARDS EAST
TIMORESE INDEPENDENCE LEADERS. MR. ALATAS MET WITH JOSE RAMOS
HORTA AND XANANA GUSMAO FOR MORE THAN AN HOUR SUNDAY. THEY
DISCUSSED WAYS TO ENSURE PEACE IN EAST TIMOR BEFORE NEXT MONTH'S
SPECIAL AUTONOMY REFERENDUM IN THE DISPUTED TERRITORY, TO BE
SUPERVISED BY THE UNITED NATIONS.
CONCERNS OVER SECURITY IN EAST TIMOR ARE HEIGHTENED. AT LEAST 11
PEOPLE WERE INJURED LAST WEEK IN MALIANA, EAST TIMOR, WHEN A
PRO-INDONESIA MILITIA GROUPS THREW ROCKS AT A U-N COMPOUND. IN
ANOTHER INCIDENT, THE UNITED NATIONS WITHDREW 20 PERSONNEL FROM
LIQUISA, FOLLOWING THREATS MADE AGAINST U-N OFFICIALS.
STILL, MR. ALATAS SAYS INDONESIA IS COMMITTED TO PROVIDING
SECURITY FOR THE U-N MISSION -- CALLED UNAMET.
// ALATAS ACTUALITY //
IT'S US WHO HAVE PROPOSED THIS WHOLE SOLUTION. WHY
SHOULD WE BE NOW AGAINST UNAMET OR RISKING THE CRITICISM
OF THE WORLD BY NOT PROVIDING SECURITY FOR UNAMET?
// END ACTUALITY //
THE UNITED NATIONS REFERENDUM IS INTENDED TO END 24 YEARS OF
FIGHTING IN EAST TIMOR THAT BEGAN WHEN THE INDONESIAN MILITARY
INVADED THE FORMER PORTUGUESE COLONY IN 1975. THE EAST TIMORESE
PEOPLE WILL BE ASKED TO CHOOSE WHETHER THE TERRITORY SHOULD
OFFICIALLY INTEGRATE WITH INDONESIA, UNDER A SPECIAL AUTONOMY
PLAN. IF THEY REJECT THAT PLAN, EAST TIMOR WILL MOVE TOWARDS
BECOMING AN INDEPENDENT NATION.
IN SUNDAY'S MEETING, MR. RAMOS HORTA REPEATED A DEMAND
INDEPENDENCE LEADER XANANA GUSMAO BE RELEASED FROM HOUSE ARREST
BEFORE THE AUTONOMY REFERENDUM. A ONE-TIME GUERRILLA COMMANDER,
MR. GUSMAO IS SERVING A 20-YEAR SENTENCE ON CHARGES OF
SUBVERSION.
U-N OFFICIALS AGREE. THEY SAY MR. GUSMAO'S SHOULD BE RELEASED,
SO HE CAN BE A MODERATING INFLUENCE DURING WHAT MANY EXPECT WILL
BE AN EMOTIONALLY-CHARGED ATMOSPHERE SURROUNDING THE REFERENDUM.
// REST OPTIONAL //
MR. ALATAS SAYS MR. GUSMAO SHOULD BE RELEASED AFTER THE
REFERENDUM, BECAUSE OF THE POTENTIALLY-VIOLENT DEMONSTRATIONS
THAT COULD BREAK OUT BETWEEN EAST TIMOR'S RIVAL FACTIONS.
// ALATAS ACTUALITY //
THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THE OTHER SIDE WOULD ACCEPT IT
AND THERE WILL BE BE DEMONSTRATIONS AND COUNTER
DEMONSTRATIONS. THAT OF COURSE I THINK AN INEVITABLE
CONSEQUENCE. AND, ON THAT SCORE, I WOULD NOT BE SO VERY
SURE THAT ONE MAN COULD STOP DEMONSTRATIONS AND COUNTER
DEMONSTRATIONS, DON'T YOU THINK?
// END ACTUALITY //
MR. RAMOS HORTA WAS CO-WINNER OF THE 1996 NOBEL PEACE PRIZE FOR
HIS EFFORTS TO IMPROVE HUMAN RIGHTS IN EAST TIMOR AND IS A
LONG-TIME CRITIC OF THE INDONESIAN GOVERNMENT. BUT IT GRANTED
HIM A VISA TO COME TO INDONESIA FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 24 YEARS TO
ATTEND PEACE TALKS BETWEEN EAST TIMOR'S RIVAL PRO-INDEPENDENCE
AND PRO-INTEGRATION FACTIONS. (SIGNED).
NEB / PN / WD / WD
04-Jul-99 5:23 AM EDT (0923 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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