DATE=8/17/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=EAST TIMOR - UNITED NATIONS L-O
NUMBER=2-252879
BYLINE=BARBARA SCHOETZAU
DATELINE=NEW YORK
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: At the United Nations today (Tuesday), the U-N
official in charge of setting up the referendum, known
as a "popular consultation," on East Timor's political
future, Carina Perelli, said she is optimistic that
the process will succeed. Correspondent Barbara
Schoetzau reports.
TEXT: Ms. Perelli says more than 450-thousand East
Timorese have registered to vote in the "popular
consultation" scheduled for August 30th. The figure,
she says, largely exceeds expectations.
Indonesia - which annexed the former Portuguese colony
in 1976 - has objected to using the term "referendum,"
so the vote is being called a "popular consultation."
The people of East Timor will essentially be
expressing their preference for independence or for
remaining as an autonomous part of Indonesia.
Ms. Perelli says the biggest challenge the U-N staff
faced in registering voters was fear and intimidation,
especially among people living in rural areas.
Consequently, the United Nations staff created
procedures, which gave voters substantial mobility and
encouraged them to vote at registration centers other
than the ones where they reside.
Despite incidents of violence, Ms. Perelli says she is
increasingly encouraged about the prospects for the
vote.
//// Perelli Act ////
I would say that I am a lot more optimistic than
I was a month ago. But there have been
significant improvements, both in the decrease
in the number of serious incidents and secondly,
in the time of response and the quality of the
response from the Indonesian authorities,
particularly the Indonesian police to these
incidents. Of course, no one can predict
exactly what will happen on consultation day,
but we have been given assurances that an order
has gone from Jakarta to make sure that there is
a policy of no incidents tolerated.
/// End Act ///
To protect the anonymity of voters and insure against
tampering, the ballot boxes will be transported and
counted at a centralized accounting center.
Ms. Perelli says more than 14-hundred accredited
observers will monitor the election. (Signed)
NEB/NY/bjs/BA/JO
17-Aug-1999 15:40 PM EDT (17-Aug-1999 1940 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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