E. Timorese stage rally at the foreign ministry<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): About 1000 East Timorese staged a rally in front
\nof the foreign ministry yesterday demanding a referendum in
\nIndonesia's youngest province and the release of jailed
\nseparatist leader Jose Alexandre "Xanana" Gusmao.<\/p>\n
"We have made a petition that should be read before President
\nB.J. Habibie, Armed Forces Commander Gen. Wiranto and Minister of
\nForeign Affairs Ali Alatas," the protesters' spokesman, Aderito
\nde Jesus Soares, said.<\/p>\n
The protesters, calling themselves the "Front Nasional Timor
\nLeste", demanded that a referendum on independence be held and
\nthat Xanana be included in the government's release of political
\nprisoners.<\/p>\n
Three foreign ministry officials -- Director of Foreign
\nInformation Ghaffar Fadyl, acting Director for Political Affairs
\nHadi Wayarabi and Director for Security and Guidance of the
\nIndonesian Community Abroad Boedidoyo -- met with representatives
\nof the protesters to receive the demands.<\/p>\n
Gaffar promised that he would convey the protesters' wishes to
\nAlatas as soon as the minister returned from the Philippines.<\/p>\n
Alatas went to the Philippines to attend the country's
\ncentennial independence celebrations.<\/p>\n
The demonstration began at about 7:00 a.m when protesters
\nbegan unfurling posters and banners on the ministry's grounds.<\/p>\n
Some then entered the main building unchallenged and sat in
\nthe lobby while hundreds waved black, gold, red and white rebel
\nflags.<\/p>\n
Security forces moved in at about 1 p.m. to flush out the
\nprotesters after repeated appeals from ministry officials to
\ndisperse went unheeded.<\/p>\n
In an attempt to escape, many protesters jumped over the front
\nfence of the ministry's compound.<\/p>\n
All were eventually herded onto buses and driven away under
\npolice escort.<\/p>\n
The ministry said in a statement that two protesters and one
\nsoldier were injured. They were Agustina da Foceca, Maria de
\nFatima and Pvt. Amrullah.<\/p>\n
The two protesters were rushed to St. Carolus Hospital on Jl.
\nSalemba, Central Jakarta, while Amrullah was taken to nearby
\nGatot Subroto Hospital.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Legal Aid and Human Rights Association (PBHI)
\ncondemned the security forces' actions yesterday for arresting
\nactivists Bonar Tigor Naipospos, Tri Agus Siswowihardja and Benny
\nwho had been distributing bottled water to the protesters.<\/p>\n
A statement signed by PBHI's executive director Hendardi said
\nthe three were arbitrarily arrested despite merely distributing
\nthe bottled water.<\/p>\n
Separately, in Dili, East Timor, Bishop Carlos Felipe Ximenes
\nBelo asserted yesterday that any solution to the East Timor issue
\nmust be resolved through the current talks between Indonesia and
\nPortugal under the auspices of the United Nations.<\/p>\n
He said that the result of the dialog must be fair and
\naccepted by all parties.<\/p>\n
Belo, however, warned that the talks must involve the East
\nTimorese people, otherwise the problem would be protracted.<\/p>\n
East Timor was integrated as the country's 27th province in
\n1976, but the UN still recognizes Lisbon as its administrator.
\n(byg)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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