DATE=8/29/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=TIMOR ANNIVERSARY PREVIEW L-O
NUMBER=2-265932
BYLINE=PATRICIA NUNAN
DATELINE=JAKARTA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: United Nations officials say they have
increased security along the border of East Timor and
in the capital, Dili, ahead of Wednesday - the one
year anniversary of the territory's vote to separate
from Indonesia. As Patricia Nunan reports, officials
are concerned that the same anti-independence militias
that launched a campaign of destruction in East Timor
last year - killing hundreds of people - may try to
strike again.
TEXT: UN officials say they are trying to stay "one
step ahead" of any pro-Indonesia militias, which they
believe may try to disrupt ceremonies to mark the one
year anniversary of East Timor's vote for
independence. The officials say they will not allow
what they describe as a "group of lawless bandits" to
mar the day.
Seventy peacekeepers were flown to areas near the city
of Same, 60 kilometers south of the capital, where
pro-Indonesia militias are thought to be
hiding out. The peacekeepers also dropped leaflets on
the area calling on pro-Indonesia militiamen to
surrender.
UN officials say they have also increased the number
of peacekeepers in the tense areas near the border
with Indonesia's West Timor region and they have set-
up checkpoints on roads leading to the East Timorese
capital, Dili.
/// BEGIN OPT ///
The security measures come after UN officials say they
received reports that up to 120 members of pro-
Indonesia militia groups may have already
infiltrated East Timor.
The head of the UN mission in East Timor, Sergio de
Mello, also warned that if confrontations were to take
place between militia-men and peacekeepers, the
militias would be asked to surrender. But if they do
not lay down their weapons, "drastic action" might
take place.
/// END OPT ///
It was on August 30th last year that the majority of
East Timorese voted to break free of 24 years of
Indonesian rule in a special ballot supervised by the
United Nations.
Pro-independence militias -- with the alleged support
of the Indonesian military -- then went on a wave of
killing and destruction that claimed hundreds of
lives. Much of the territory's villages and towns were
burnt to the ground. More than 300-thousand people
fled their homes. Roughly 100 thousand of them remain
in refugee camps in neighboring West Timor.
On Wednesday, East Timorese spiritual leader Bishop
Carlos Belo is expected to hold a mass and at least
two other ceremonies will be held to
remember the thousands of people who died last year
and in the more than two decades of fighting with
Indonesian forces.
Independence leaders including Xanana Gusmao -- who
many expect will be East Timor's first president --
will also mark the anniversary by giving speeches.
The Indonesian government is now investigating
allegations that members of the Indonesian Armed
Forces orchestrated the militia violence. A list of
suspects is expected to be announced in the next few
days. (signed)
NEB/HK/PN/JO
29-Aug-2000 05:21 AM LOC (29-Aug-2000 0921 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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