DATE=8/11/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=INDONESIA-TIMOR (L)
NUMBER=2-252674
BYLINE=PATRICIA NUNAN
DATELINE=JAKARTA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Election monitors from the Carter Center,
headed by former U-S President Jimmy Carter, have
accused the Indonesian government of trying to
undermine this month's United Nations autonomy
referendum in East Timor. As Patricia Nunan reports
from Jakarta, the comments come as top U-N and
Indonesian officials meet to discuss the referendum
and East Timor's future after the vote.
Text: Carter Center observers in East Timor say the
Indonesian military and police are continuing to back
the militia groups, which are fighting to keep East
Timor a part of Indonesia. The Carter Center accuses
the militias of ignoring an anti-violence code and
stepping up a campaign of pre-referendum violence and
terror across East Timor.
In its statement, released Wednesday, the Carter
Center also warns warns of more violence if the East
Timorese reject Indonesia's offer of autonomy.
The Carter Center observer group is one of
several such organizations that are in East Timor to
monitor the UN-supervised autonomy referendum, to be
held on August 30th. Voters will choose whether to
accept or reject the Indonesian government proposal,
which would allow the territory some special rights,
while officially integrating it as an Indonesian
province. If the plan is rejected, the government says
it will consider granting East Timor full
independence.
The U-N Special Representative for East Timor,
Jamsheed Marker is in the Indonesian capital Jakarta
for two days of meetings on East Timor with senior
government officials.
Mr. Marker says the potential for violence in the
aftermath of the referendum is one of the top issues
being raised by both pro-Indonesia and pro-
independence leaders.
/// MARKER ACT ///
After the ballot the situation will be a very
very important one which is one of the reasons why
we're here to discuss it. And what
measures have to be taken, whatever may be the result
of the ballot.
///END ACT ///
An Indonesian Foreign Ministry official says Indonesia
would be willing to maintain security in East Timor
after the vote. But human rights leaders say the
Indonesian military is not neutral and they are
calling for deployment of a U-N peacekeeping force.
The autonomy referendum is intended to help bring
peace to East Timor, which has been wracked by more
than two decades of fighting since the Indonesian
military invaded in 1975.(Signed)
NEB/PN/FC/PLM
11-Aug-1999 06:02 AM EDT (11-Aug-1999 1002 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
