DATE=12/20/1999
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
TITLE=YEARENDER - U-N-EAST TIMOR
NUMBER=5-45064
BYLINE=BARBARA SCHOETZAU
DATELINE=NEW YORK
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Looking back on 1999, United Nations Secretary
General Kofi Annan said it was a year that brought
unexpected new responsibilities for the global
organization. One of the most challenging of those
responsibilities is East Timor. Correspondent Barbara
Schoetzau reports from New York.
TEXT: East Timor finally headed toward independence
in 1999, but at a heavy cost.
Indonesia invaded the former Portuguese colony in 1975
and annexed it a year later. After years of on-and-
off negotiations, Portugal and Indonesia reached an
agreement permitting the East Timorese a say in their
future by holding a United Nations-supervised
referendum, called a popular consultation.
About 80 percent cast their ballots against a wide-
ranging autonomy plan with Indonesia. By rejecting
the relationship with Indonesia, the East Timorese
essentially voted for independence. This set off a
spree of killings and destruction by pro-Indonesia
militias.
Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of people were killed in
the aftermath of the vote. Observers say the bulk of
East Timor's infrastructure -- somewhere between 70
and 80 percent -- was destroyed. The Indonesian
military seemed either unable or unwilling to stop the
violence. After Indonesia finally admitted its
inability to control the situation, an international
peacekeeping force was sent to restore law and order.
Secretary General Annan says he regrets the violence
that has left East Timor devastated.
/// 1st ANNAN ACT ///
In the New Year, the United Nations force will
take over the responsibility for security in
East Timor. I deeply regret that we were unable
to prevent the senseless bloodshed of August and
September. But if we compare the prospects now
with that of two years ago, we see that East
Timor is one more case where time and patient
diplomacy, ably conducted, have brought hope to
what had been a hopeless situation.
/// END ACT ///
Some critics are less forgiving, arguing that
Indonesia should not have had total control of the
security arrangements, and that the United Nations
should have been better prepared to prevent the
bloodshed.
John Miller is spokesperson for the East Timor Action
Network and the International Federation for East
Timor, which has supported self-determination. He
says the pro-Indonesia militias made clear they would
punish the East Timorese if the vote favored
independence.
/// 1st MILLER ACT ///
They essentially threatened to destroy the
country, which is what they set out to do. Under
the agreement under which the U-N organized the
vote, Indonesia was left in charge of security,
so there was no international peacekeeping
force, no international police, really nothing
other than international opinion between the
Indonesian security forces and the East Timorese
people. It was clear that, given Indonesia's
history in East Timor, that this was a gamble.
/// END ACT ///
Mr. Miller admits the United Nations could do little
without the approval of its members, especially
powerful members like Australia, the United States and
European nations. He says these influential allies
could have pressured Indonesia sooner and more
strenuously.
/// 2nd MILLER ACT ///
Where I would criticize the U-N itself is that
while the U-N privately was making it very clear
that this arrangement was not tenable,
particularly as the negotiations were going on,
they did not publicly come out and say that.
Presumably they did not want to upset the
negotiations. Indonesia had threatened to pull
out of the talks. But that was never tested.
Really how far and how much pressure by the U-N
itself and by Portugal, which was the other
negotiating partner, how serious Indonesia was
and how much pressure could have been put on
them -- that was never tested at the U-N. The
Secretary General I think could have called for
more of that publicly.
/// END ACT ///
The United Nations will administer East Timor for an
interim period -- restoring order, rebuilding the
infrastructure, and preparing the territory for self-
government.
Secretary General Annan expresses cautious optimism
about East Timor's future. Comparing the United
Nations' two biggest challenges in the year ahead,
East Timor and Kosovo, he says the process of
reconciliation is moving faster in East Timor.
/// 2nd ANNAN ACT ///
No doubt this is due in part to the fact that
the territory's political destiny is clear after
the act of self-determination carried out in
August under United Nations auspices. But I
believe it is also a tribute to the
statesmanship of exceptional political leaders,
Xanana Gusmao, who is working very closely with
my special representative, Sergio de Mello, and
President Wahid of Indonesia. I hope this
improved atmosphere will allow the refugees who
are still in camps in West Timor to return home
in peace and safety shortly.
/// END ACT ///
The international community has responded generously
to East Timor's plight, pledging hundreds of millions
of dollars to help rebuild the territory. Long-time
observers of the situation in East Timor, like John
Miller, say it is important to make sure the East
Timorese are allowed to set the priorities and direct
the reconstruction of their own country. (Signed)
NEB/BJS/LSF/TVM/WTW
20-Dec-1999 16:21 PM EDT (20-Dec-1999 2121 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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