DATE=9/16/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=INDONESIA / SITREP (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-253940
BYLINE=PATRICIA NUNAN
DATELINE=JAKARTA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: The Indonesian government has cancelled a
security agreement with Australia because of what it
describes as Australian interference in Indonesian
affairs, over East Timor. As Patricia Nunan reports,
the announcement comes as Australia prepares to lead a
United Nations peacekeeping force to East Timor, where
pro-Indonesia militias are believe to have virtually
taken control.
Text:
//NAT SOUND-DEMONSTRATION: ESTAB, FADE
DOWN//
About 300 demonstrators outside the United Nations
headquarters in Jakarta chant "hang Xanana", referring
to East Timorese rebel leader Xanana Gusmao.
The protesters are demonstrating against what they see
as Australian interference in Indonesian affairs. They
have linked the leader of East Timor's independence
movement, Xanana Gusmao to Australia's East Timor
policy. The demonstrators want East Timor to remain
part of Indonesia, and Australia to mind its own
business. The demonstration began as the Indonesian
foreign ministry announced Jakarta has cancelled a
1995 security agreement with Australia.
Previously, the two nations would share information
about regional security threats. But now, the
Indonesian government says Australia has violated the
spirit of the agreement. Jakarta says Australia has
not demonstrated mutual respect or kept to a pledge
not to interfere in Indonesia's internal affairs.
The diplomatic falling-out between Indonesia and
Australia was sparked by the humanitarian crisis which
led to an international peacekeeping mission being
prepared to move into East Timor. The United Nations
was forced to largely withdraw from East Timor after
pro-Indonesia militia groups rampaged through the
territory. Thousands of people are feared dead and
hundreds of thousands of others have been forced to
flee.
The militias are opposed to independence for East
Timor. The violence picked up in intensity, after the
United Nations announced the majority of East Timorese
voters decided the territory should separate from
Indonesia.
With 45 hundred of its troops poised to enter East
Timor, Australia will be the dominant force in a U-N
peacekeeping mission, expected to be deployed to the
territory by the weekend.
Meanwhile, East Timorese independence leader Xanana
Gusmao has appealed for the international community to
pressure the Indonesian military -- or T-N-I -- to let
humanitarian assistance into East Timor.
//GUSMAO ACTUALITY//
Hundreds of thousands of people are now hiding in the
jungle, suffering from starvation and disease. There
are more than 300 children dead. People are burying
dead. I want to appeal to the international community
to continue to press the Indonesian government and
especially to the T-N-I top leaders to allow immediate
entrance and clearance of humanitarian assistance.
//END ACTUALITY//
Australian Prime Minister John Howard says U-N air
drops of humanitarian assistance have not yet begun
because the Indonesian military has not yet guaranteed
it would not shoot down the planes. The air drops are
expected to begin, late Thursday. (signed)
NEB/PN/GC / wd
16-Sep-1999 03:29 AM LOC (16-Sep-1999 0729 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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