DATE=7/14/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-251743
TITLE=EAST TIMOR / UNITED NATIONS (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=PATRICIA NUNAN
DATELINE=JAKARTA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: UNITED NATIONS OFFICIALS IN THE DISPUTED TERRITORY OF
EAST TIMOR SAY INDONESIAN POLICE HAVE STOPPED A GROUP OF
PRO-INDONESIA MILITIA FROM BREAKING INTO A U-N OFFICE. AS
PATRICIA NUNAN REPORTS, THE INCIDENT COMES DAYS AFTER SENIOR
INDONESIAN GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS PROMISED TO INCREASE SECURITY IN
THE DISPUTED TERRITORY BEFORE A PLANNED AUGUST AUTONOMY
REFERENDUM BEING SET-UP BY THE UNITED NATIONS.
TEXT: U-N SPOKESMAN DAVID WIMHURST CALLED THE ACTION TAKEN BY
THE INDONESIAN POLICE "A VERY GOOD SIGN." MR. WIMHURST ALSO
THANKED LOCAL AUTHORITIES FOR THEIR RESPONSE TO THE ATTACK LATE
ON TUESDAY.
POLICE FOILED AN ATTACK BY A PRO-INDONESIA MILITIA GROUP ON A U-N
OFFICE IN THE TOWN OF MALIANA, 100 KILOMETERS SOUTHWEST OF EAST
TIMOR'S CAPITAL, DILI. IT IS THE SAME OFFICE INDONESIAN POLICE
FAILED TO PROTECT FROM A PRO-INDONESIAN MILITIA A FEW WEEKS AGO.
THE PRO-INDONESIA MILITIAS ARE FIGHTING TO KEEP EAST TIMOR A PART
OF INDONESIA AND OPPOSE U-N EFFORTS TO OVERSEE THE REFERENDUM --
WHICH COULD LEAD TO INDEPENDENCE FOR THE TERRITORY .
THESE MILITIAS ARE BELIEVED RESPONSIBLE FOR AT LEAST SEVEN
ATTACKS ON U-N PERSONNEL AND PROPERTY IN RECENT WEEKS. THIS
LATEST ATTEMPTED ATTACK COMES DAYS AFTER A TEAM OF INDONESIAN
CABINET MINISTERS PROMISED INCREASED SECURITY FOR EAST TIMOR.
THE INDONESIAN GOVERNMENT INSISTED IT BE IN CHARGE OF SECURITY
WHEN IT AGREED TO HOLD THE AUTONOMY REFERENDUM.
// OPT // THE AUTONOMY REFERENDUM HAS ALREADY BEEN DELAYED ONCE
DUE TO POOR SECURITY. VOTER REGISTRATION WAS ALSO POSTPONED, BUT
IS DUE TO BEGIN ON FRIDAY. IF VOTER REGISTRATION FAILS TO BEGIN
ON FRIDAY, ANALYSTS SAY THE UNITED NATIONS WILL BE FORCED TO
DELAY THE AUTONOMY REFERENDUM A SECOND TIME. // END OPT //
// OPT // THE REFERENDUM IS AIMED AT ENDING TWO DECADES OF
FIGHTING IN THE TERRITORY. A LOW-INTENSITY CIVIL WAR ERUPTED IN
EAST TIMOR IN 1975, WHEN INDONESIAN TROOPS INVADED. // END OPT
//
MEANWHILE, THE UNITED STATES SECRETARY OF STATE FOR ASIA-PACIFIC
AFFAIRS, STANLEY ROTH, MET EAST TIMORESE INDEPENDENCE LEADER
XANANA GUSMAO IN JAKARTA ON TUESDAY.
SECRETARY ROTH ALSO MET WITH THE INDONESIAN FOREIGN MINISTER. HIS
VISIT IS PART OF AN INTERNATIONAL EFFORT TO ENSURE THE AUTONOMY
REFERENDUM GOES SMOOTHLY. (SIGNED)
NEB/PN/GC/JO/KL
14-Jul-99 7:09 AM EDT (1109 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
