DATE=8/6/1999
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
TITLE=EAST TIMOR - SECURITY
NUMBER=5-44016
BYLINE=PATRICIA NUNAN
DATELINE=DILI
INTERNET=YES
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: The United Nations in Indonesia's disputed
territory of East Timor Friday reported two
attacks on its staff. The incidents came a day
before the end of voter registration in the
territory for the special U-N-supervised autonomy
referendum to be held August 30th -- and ahead of
the opening of the campaign. As Patricia Nunan
reports from the East Timorese capital of Dili,
despite the presence of the United Nations
civilian police and a beefed up police force
across the territory, the atmosphere in East
Timor is tense.
TEXT: //ACT-signing at funeral: estab.fade down//
Mourners weep and sing at the funeral of Angelino
Amaral. The 24 year-old East Timorese
independence supporter was shot and killed on
Sunday after an argument with an integrationist
(someone who wants East Timor to maintain ties
with Indonesia).
The exact cause of the dispute is uncertain, but
witnesses say it was probably personal and not
political in nature.
But to other independence supporters, that
distinction was irrelevant. They responded by
tearing apart the home of the integrationist, and
setting fire to the ruins.
Incidents of increasing violence have raised
serious security concerns in East Timor. Clashes
between supporters and opponents of independence
are on the rise, as are confrontations between U-
N personnel and local militia members. Last
month a U-N office was attacked by a pro-
integration group after pro-independence members
ran into the U-N compound.
Despite a large police presence meant to control
the violence, the United Nations has repeatedly
called for tighter security as the territory
prepares to decide on its political future.
Security in the territory is the responsibility
of the Indonesian government.
The United Nations is now on the ground in East
Timor in full force, in order to supervise a
special autonomy. The mission was conceived
after the Indonesian government suddenly reversed
its 24 year-old policy last January, by
announcing it would consider granting East Timor
full independence.
The move is supposed to help bring an end to
fighting between the Indonesian military and
guerrilla independence fighters that began after
Indonesian troops invaded the former Portuguese
colony in 1975.
The East Timorese people will vote on whether the
territory should accept the Indonesian
government's offer of wide-ranging autonomy,
which would integrate the territory as an
Indonesian province. If they reject that plan,
the government says it will consider granting
East Timor independence.
The United Nations already delayed the autonomy
referendum by two-weeks in part because of
concerns about violence. Now as voter
registration comes to a close and the campaign
period is due to begin, those concerns are
heightened.
David Ximenes is with the main pro-independence
group, the East Timorese National Resistance
Council. He says his group is not planning any
large campaign rallies, because that might
provoke attacks by pro-Indonesia militia groups.
//XIMENES ACT//
We don't want to stimulate the new problem.
we want reconciliation, harmonization,
looking for the peace and to help the
peace.
//END ACT//
Pro-Jakarta groups also say they want to maintain
peace throughout the campaign. But Basilio
Araujo from the Forum for Unity, Democracy and
Justice says the pro-integrationists are prepared
to defend themselves in case of a return to civil
war.
//ARAUJO ACT//
Well, like in 1975 when the civil war broke
out, we started with spears, with machetes
and even with sticks. So now I think we
have to prepare ourselves with whatever we
have, in order to protect ourselves.
//END ACT//
Human rights observers say the integrationists
and their militia groups are thinking about more
than self-defense. They accuse the Indonesian
military of continuing to supply the militia
groups with arms and want the United Nations and
the Indonesian government to do more to control
them.
Will Seaman is with the human rights group the
International Federation for East Timor.
//SEAMAN ACT//
The most direct account was from U-N
personnel who we spoke with in that region,
who said flat out, I witnessed, I witnessed
the transfer of arms to the militias. That
is from the T-N-I, the Indonesian military,
to those militia groups. So we don't have
personnel in our group who have witnessed
this transference of arms from the T-N-I to
militias, but we do have at least that
first-hand account from a U-N official.
//END ACT//
U-N officials have not confirmed that the
Indonesian military is continuing to arm the
militias. But they have made repeated calls in
the past for the Indonesian government to follow
through on its pledge to maintain security ahead
of the referendum, by bringing the militias under
control.
The United Nations also says it has no
intention of abandoning East Timor after the
ballot. But so far, it has not disclosed what
form the post-referendum mission will take. Many
human rights officials think the mission should
be expanded from its civilian police presence to
include armed peacekeepers as a deterrent to
violence. Analysts say that is unlikely. For
now, the United Nations and the East Timorese
will have to go through the campaign and the
ballot itself, hoping for the situation to remain
calm. (Signed)
NEB/PN/GC/KL
06-Aug-1999 07:58 AM EDT (06-Aug-1999 1158 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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