Checkpoint closed ahead of East Timor elections<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Starting on Sunday, the checkpoint on the border
\nbetween East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) province and East Timor will be
\nclosed for 10 days to avoid a possible inflow of refugees from
\nthe new state, which will hold its first constituent assembly
\nelections on Aug. 30.<\/p>\n
Chief of the provincial border police, Chief Brig. Apolinario
\nda Silva, said in the border town of Mota Ain, some 200
\nkilometers northeast of the provincial capital of Kupang, on
\nSunday that the local police had received an order from the
\nNational Police leadership that the checkpoint should be closed
\nfive days before and five days after the election day.<\/p>\n
The crossing will be reopened on Sept. 5.<\/p>\n
He said based on the order, the police should work hand in
\nhand with military personnel to secure border areas in an effort
\nto prevent trespassers entering the provincial territory.<\/p>\n
"We all hope that the elections in East Timor on Aug. 30 will
\nrun smoothly and peacefully and without any conflicts that could
\nlead to the eviction of certain groups of East Timorese into NTT
\nareas," Da Silva was quoted by Antara as saying.<\/p>\n
"But, if it (the eviction) happens, the military and police
\nwill direct the border crossers to a 'free zone' so as to avoid
\nphysical clashes between the new refugees and those already
\nstaying in NTT border areas.<\/p>\n
The checkpoint closure has caused a number of non-governmental
\norganizations (NGOs) activists, who wanted to observe the general
\nelection, to cancel their plans.<\/p>\n
"We canceled our plan to monitor the East Timor general
\nelection as the checkpoint is closed," said Vinsensius B. Loe,
\ndirector of the Atambua-based Solidarity Foundation.<\/p>\n
"But many activists from 60 NGOs are already in the former
\nIndonesian territory to monitor the elections," he added.<\/p>\n
He further said that based on observation, security measures
\nhad been tightened along the border areas, either by Indonesian
\nmilitary and police officers or by the UN Peacekeeping Force (UN-
\nPKF) and the East Timorese Defense Force (FDTL).<\/p>\n
Usually, areas around the checkpoint are busy, but on Sunday
\nit was virtually deserted, with fewer passengers on public
\ntransportation vehicles.<\/p>\n
"We got very few passengers today due to the closure of the
\ncheckpoint, but we will get more passengers when it is reopened
\non Sept. 5," said Fransiskus Klau, a public transportation
\ndriver.<\/p>\n
East Timor, currently under United Nations administration,
\nwill hold its first presidential election early next year and is
\nexpected to attain full independence by mid-2002. (02)<\/p>",
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