E. TIMOR / PEACEKEEPERS


DATE=9/18/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=E. TIMOR / PEACEKEEPERS (L)
NUMBER=2-254046
BYLINE=KYLE KING
DATELINE=JAKARTA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO:    Nine warships carrying troops from the 
multi-national peacekeeping force for East Timor 
are now heading toward the violence ravaged 
province, where the Indonesian army has been 
pulling its soldiers out.  From Jakarta, VOA's 
Kyle King reports.
TEXT:  Naval vessels from Australia, Britain and 
New Zealand steamed out of Darwin late Saturday, 
carrying troops and heavy equipment for the 
multi-national force.  The ships are bound for 
international waters off East Timor.
The commander of the Australian-led force, Major 
General Peter Cosgrove, is expected to travel to 
Dili on Sunday with a small advance party.  He 
will meet with Indonesian military officials to 
discuss details of the mission and establish a 
headquarters.
The bulk of the eight thousand member 
peacekeeping force will deploy in the following 
days.  They will be charged with establishing 
security in the province, which was ravaged by 
pro-Jakarta militias following the results of 
last month's overwhelming pro-independence vote.
Meanwhile, Indonesian military commanders say 
they have withdrawn about four thousand of their 
troops from East Timor.  They have pledged to 
cooperate with the multi-national force, but 
they say tensions in the province may rise.
Some militia leaders have vowed to attack the 
peacekeepers, especially those from Australia, 
which many Indonesians accuse of interfering in 
their internal affairs.
Indonesian political analyst Salim Said says he 
expects cooperation with the military to be 
good, but he says there is a danger of a 
backlash against the Australians.
            // SALIM ACT // 
      If the multi-national force, especially 
      the Australian troops, are not sensitive 
      to the psychology of the East Timorese, 
      especially the pro-integration people, 
      then of course there is a possibility of a 
      dangerous situation developing in East 
      Timor.
            // END ACT //
In the past week protesters have gathered 
repeatedly outside the Australian embassy in 
Jakarta to denounce Australia and its 
participation in the peacekeeping force.
Religious leaders from one of Indonesia's 
largest Muslim mass organizations in East Java 
(Nadhlatul Ulama) told a Reuters news agency 
reporter that thousands of people have signed up 
for a holy war, or Jihad, against the U-N backed 
forces.  (Signed)
NEB/KBK/KL
18-Sep-1999 07:39 AM EDT (18-Sep-1999 1139 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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