DATE=8/29/2000
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
TITLE=EAST TIMOR ANNIVERSARY
NUMBER=5-46933
BYLINE=GARY THOMAS
DATELINE=BANGKOK
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: On Wednesday, the territory of East Timor marks the
first anniversary of its vote for independence from
Indonesia. That vote sparked a murderous rampage by
militia bands opposed to independence. As VOA Southeast
Asia correspondent Gary Thomas reports, remnants of those
dark days remain as East Timor tries to rebuild.
TEXT: One year after East Timor voted for freedom from
Indonesia, there is optimism and hope as it moves towards
full independence under United Nations protection. The
streets of the capital Dili have become a bustle of
activity and purpose towards nation-building.
But East Timor still has not won freedom from fear. Aid
workers and officials in East Timor say security remains a
paramount concern among the East Timorese. The brutal
machete-wielding militias - that killed, burned, and looted
in reprisal for the independence vote - intimidate refugees
and the international organizations trying to help them in
Indonesia's West Timor and infiltrate into East Timor to
attack United Nations troops along the 120-kilometer long
border.
In West Timor, an estimated 100 to 120-thousand refugees
who fled last year's violence live in makeshift camps.
Many would like to return home to East Timor, but are
afraid to do so.
In East Timor, Chris Gascon of the International
Organization for Migration says registrations by refugees
to return to East Timor have fallen off to nearly nothing
due to militia intimidation.
/// GASCON ACT ///
This actually started in areas around the border, has
spread a little bit in West Timor, and even to some extent
in some of camps near Kupang. So now we're not getting any
registration. People are feeling, well, rather scared
about even trying to go. And very few we do manage to
register - well, like I say, there are very few we manage
to register at all.
/// END ACT ///
There is strong sentiment internationally that the
Indonesian government has not done enough to rein in the
militias, which are operating out of Indonesian territory.
But it is widely accepted that the militias were armed and
trained by the Indonesian military, or at least some
elements of it.
In Jakarta, Professor Harold Crouch of the International
Crisis Group says there is reason to believe military
officers are still helping the militias in West Timor.
/// CROUCH ACT ///
Well, it's very unclear what the exact situation is. Some
people say it's basically the military there unable to
control the militia. Others say the military is actually
still behind the militia. And I think that probably both
are true, because when you talk about the military in
Indonesia, you're really talking about individual officers.
And some of them could be backing the militias, whereas
others are not.
/// END ACT ///
Mr. Crouch says the Indonesian government is sympathetic to
calls to rein in the militia bands. But he says the reason
why the government has not been able to bring the militias
under control is that it has no control over the local
military.
/// CROUCH ACT TWO ///
The central government certainly doesn't have control of
the military at the local level. There's a big question of
whether the military in Jakarta has control. And then
there's all sorts of speculation about certain generals
having control and others not having control.
/// END ACT ///
The US ambassador to Indonesia, Robert Gelbard, has warned
that a new guerrilla war may erupt in East Timor unless the
militias are disarmed and disbanded. (signed)
NEB/HK/GPT/JO
29-Aug-2000 07:16 AM LOC (29-Aug-2000 1116 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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