Green light for East Timor ballot<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan
\nannounced on Wednesday that despite misgivings about security in
\nEast Timor, voter registration for the self-determination ballot
\nin the territory would begin on Friday.<\/p>\n
In a letter to the UN Security Council (UNSC) president, Hasmy
\nAgam, a copy of which was made available here on Thursday, Annan
\nsaid "violence and intimidation have continued to be carried out
\nwith impunity by pro-autonomy militias".<\/p>\n
Despite the pessimistic analysis, he said his decision to
\nbegin the registration was based on "positive assurance by the
\nIndonesian authorities, on the condition that meaningful, visible
\nimprovements in the security situation will be observed in the
\nimmediate future".<\/p>\n
Annan said the UN was determined to go ahead with the ballot
\n"undeterred by the intimidation, and in view of the need to
\nadhere to the shortest possible time frame".<\/p>\n
He said the UN Mission in East Timor (UNAMET) would
\ncontinuously assess the security situation, and that he intended
\nto review conditions halfway through the registration period.<\/p>\n
The secretary-general has delayed the direct ballot from its
\noriginal schedule, from Aug. 8 to either Aug. 21 or Aug. 22, due
\nto logistical difficulties and security problems. Voter
\nregistration was also delayed for two days from Wednesday.<\/p>\n
On Thursday and Friday (New York local time), a senior
\nofficial from Portugal's foreign ministry, Fernando Neves, and
\nhis Indonesian counterpart, Nugroho Wisnumurti, are scheduled to
\nmeet again with UN special representative Jamsheed Marker to
\ndiscuss vote preparations and a post-ballot plan.<\/p>\n
"Registration will be a success so long as people are not
\nusing arms, as long as violent acts are not taking place," UNAMET
\nchief Ian Martin said in Dili.<\/p>\n
UNAMET spokesman David Wimhurst announced in Dili that all 200
\nregistration centers, each staffed with two electoral officers,
\nwould open simultaneously to register up to 400,000 eligible
\nvoters as of 7 a.m. on Friday. The registration period will
\nproceed for 20 days.<\/p>\n
Wimhurst said registration centers would also open
\nsimultaneously in other Indonesian cities, as well as overseas to
\ncater for thousands of East Timorese who fled the former
\nPortuguese colony from the period of Indonesia's entry in 1975.<\/p>\n
U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific
\nAffairs Stanley Roth, accompanied by U.S. Ambassador Stapleton
\nRoy, arrived in Dili on Thursday to carry out a direct assessment
\nof conditions in the troubled territory.<\/p>\n
Roth, who will stay in the province until Saturday, reiterated
\nhis country's concern over reports of violence by pro-Indonesian
\nmilitias and the source of their support.<\/p>\n
"I think I made clear (on Wednesday) the fact that there was
\nsignificant evidence that elements of the military have been
\nsupporting some of the militia groups, and that was a large
\ncontribution to the lack of security," Roth said before meeting
\nIan Martin.<\/p>\n
Roth warned the government on Wednesday that it would incur
\nstrained ties with the international community, including the
\nU.S., if it failed to restore security in the province.<\/p>\n
Ian Martin and East Timor Police chief Col. Timbul Silaen
\nvisited Manatuto and Viqueque regencies on Thursday morning,
\nfollowing reports that prointegrationists had rejected
\nparticipating in the ballot, following their claims that UNAMET
\nwas biased toward proindependence groups.<\/p>\n
"We have come to an agreement that all problems will be
\nsolved, so that the ballot can be conducted in a conducive
\natmosphere," Timbul said.<\/p>\n
Citing international reports, East Timor Governor Abilio Jose
\nOsorio Soares said the security situation remained fragile in
\nLiquica, Maliana, Viqueque, Suai and Dili.<\/p>\n
"According to the international community, in the five
\nregencies there are still violations of regulations set up by the
\nUN," the governor said in Liquica, referring to the requirement
\nto ensure peace ahead of the ballot in the May 5 agreement
\nbetween Indonesia and Portugal.<\/p>\n
The governor said conditions in the regencies of Ambeno,
\nAileu, Ermera, Ainaro, Manatuto, Baucau, Manufahi and Lautem were
\nstable.<\/p>\n
From Lisbon, Antara reported that Indonesia would send three
\nofficials to observe registration of 1,700 East Timorese in
\nPortugal. Australia, with some 20,000 East Timorese, has one of
\nthe largest number of ballot participants outside the province.
\n(33\/prb)<\/p>",
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