TNI members set to leave E. Timor within 48 hours<\/p>\n
By Budiman Moerdijat and Lourenco Vicente Martins<\/p>\n
DILI, East Timor (JP): The last 1,000 personnel of Indonesian
\nMilitary (TNI) in East Timor are expected to be withdrawn within
\nthe next 48 hours, the spokesman for the International Force for
\nEast Timor (Interfet) Col. Mark Kelly said here on Friday.<\/p>\n
"The actual date and time for the withdrawal is still being
\ndiscussed among ourselves, the TNI and UN representatives," Kelly
\nsaid, adding that Interfet "may also involve" independence leader
\nJose Alexandre "Xanana" Gusmao in the discussion.<\/p>\n
Thousands of Indonesian troops and police were pulled out of
\nEast Timor after the ballot on the territory's future in August
\nresulted in an overwhelming vote against the offer of autonomy
\nwithin Indonesia. Multinational forces started to trickle into
\nthe former Portuguese colony to restore security in the territory
\nin place of Indonesian soldiers from Sept. 20.<\/p>\n
Less than 1,000 Indonesian police and troops, which also
\nincluded dozens of the Air Force's special force (Paskas), were
\nleft in Dili even when the deployment of the international
\npeacekeeping force was completed.<\/p>\n
Kelly said he hoped the final withdrawal of TNI elements would
\nbe "conducted in an orderly manner".<\/p>\n
"During the initial withdrawal (late last month), there was
\nsome destruction and we deplored the burning that occurred in
\nsome areas that (the TNI members) were withdrawing from."<\/p>\n
An Indonesian navy ship arrived on Friday and Kelly said
\nanother Indonesian ship was expected to arrive early on Saturday
\nmorning as part of the final withdrawal.<\/p>\n
"Interfet also expects the arrival of a number of (Indonesian)
\nHercules military airplanes to transport the last elements of the
\nTNI," Kelly said.<\/p>\n
Kelly revealed the remaining Indonesian troops canceled their
\nplanned memorial service at the hero cemetery in Santa Cruz,
\nwhere dozens of people were believed to be killed during a
\nproindependence protest in the area in November 1991.<\/p>\n
The service was previously scheduled to be held minutes before
\nthe final withdrawal.<\/p>\n
"They chose not to hold it in the vicinity of Santa Cruz,"
\nKelly said without elaborating.<\/p>\n
Informed sources told The Jakarta Post on Friday that the
\nservice was canceled for security reasons.<\/p>\n
In previous weeks, departing Indonesian troops were pelted
\nwith rocks by East Timorese.<\/p>\n
The TNI has been accused of allegedly perpetrating serious
\nhuman rights abuses during its 23 years of occupation in the
\nterritory and it is now under international condemnation for its
\nalleged links to pro-Jakarta militias which went on a rampage in
\nthe wake of the Aug. 30 vote.<\/p>\n
Later in the day, visiting Australian defense minister John
\nMoore said he was "surprised with the degree of devastation" in
\nEast Timor.<\/p>\n
Moore was speaking after having a helicopter tour of the
\nwestern part of the territory to meet with Interfet elements
\noperating in the area.<\/p>\n
Kelly said Moore also met with Xanana, United Nations Mission
\nin East Timor (UNAMET) chief Ian Martin and Interfet commander
\nMaj. Gen. Peter Cosgrove in Dili earlier in the morning.<\/p>\n
Cosgrove acknowledged on Thursday evening that some areas in
\nthe western regions, known as the stronghold of pro-Jakarta
\nmilitias, were still not "completely secured".<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, a World Bank mission also arrived in Dili on Friday
\nto start assessing the need for the rebuilding of East Timor.<\/p>\n
Representatives of the Australian Consulate in Dili said the
\nmission would be in the territory for several weeks to look at
\nwhat might be needed by the East Timorese for their development.<\/p>\n
Interfet officials said more than 24,000 internally displaced
\npeople had returned home by land, sea or air as of Thursday.<\/p>\n
Relief workers estimated that nearly 200,000 others were still
\nin areas of East Nusa Tenggara.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/tni-members-set-to-leave-e-timor-within-48-hours-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}