DATE=9/27/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=COHEN - INDONESIA INVESTIGATION (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-254387
BYLINE=JIM RANDLE
DATELINE=HICKAM AIRFORCE BASE, HAWAII
INTERNET=YES
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
/// EDS: COHEN ARRIVES IN AUSTRALIA TUESDAY EVENING
LOCAL TIME - MEETS AUSTRALIAN LEADERS AND U.S. TROOPS
ON Wednesday - HOLDS MEETINGS IN JAKARTA ON Thursday
///
INTRO: U.S. Defense Secretary William Cohen says he
will urge Indonesian leaders to investigate recent
killings in the troubled territory of East Timor. Mr.
Cohen spoke with reporters on the flight to South East
Asia where he will soon hold talks with leaders of
Indonesia's opposition, government, and military.
V-O-A's Jim Randle reports from Hawaii.
TEXT: Secretary Cohen says he will tell Indonesian
leaders it is vital to investigate recent violence in
East Timor that human rights groups say may have
killed thousands of people.
Mr. Cohen says Indonesians voted to move their
government toward democracy, and holding members of
the militia and military accountable for their actions
is a key ingredient in that democratic transition.
Human rights groups and other witnesses blame anti-
independence militia groups for most of the recent
violence in East Timor and accused the Indonesian
military of aiding the attacks on independence
supporters.
During talks in Jakarta, Mr. Cohen will meet
opposition leader Megawati Sukarnoputri, along with
government and human rights groups, top financial
officials, Indonesian President B.J. Habibie, and the
military chief, General Wiranto.
/// COHEN ACT ///
We would expect the Indonesian government to
cooperate with the peacekeeping mission to make
sure that is successful and that [we] do not
have any kind of cross border raiding taking
place from those groups, the militia groups in
West Timor back into East Timor, and that the
situation [is] stabilized so the people can get
back and start the rebuilding process.
/// END ACT ///
Mr. Cohen's concerns about the Indonesian territory of
West Timor grow out of the 150-thousands refugees who
traveled there after fighting broke out in the eastern
part of the island. Some news accounts say many East
Timorese are being held against their will by pro-
Jakarta militia groups. Some military experts say
forces that oppose independence might sneak back into
East Timor and launch a guerilla war aimed at
thwarting the territories independence. About 80
percent of East Timories recently voted to separate
their former Portuguese colony from Indonesia.
Thousands of members of the Australian-led
peacekeeping force have moved into the city Dili in
East Timor from their base in Darwin, Australia.
Reports from East Timor say that troops have begun to
take control of the city as most Indonesian troops
have left the territory. Eventually, the peacekeeping
force is expected to number about eight thousand
troops from many nations to keep the peace among East
Timor's 850-thousand people.
Before heading to Indonesia, Mr. Cohen will first stop
in Australia and visit with the 260 U.S. troops who
are helping multinational peacekeeping forces with
communications, intelligence, and cargo planes. He
will also hold talks with Australia's defense minister
and other top officials.
Mr. Cohen's journey later takes him to Singapore,
Thailand, and the Philippians for talks with military
and political leaders there before returning home
October 5th. (Signed)
NEB/JR/TVM-T/gm
27-Sep-1999 19:42 PM EDT (27-Sep-1999 2342 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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