Troops withdrawn from E. Timor have not been replaced: ABRI<\/p>\n
DILI, East Timor (JP): East Timor Military Commander Col. Tono
\nSuratman bore witness on Thursday evening that, contrary to
\nrecent media reports, there has been no deployment of new troops
\nin the province to replace 1,400 combat troops withdrawn in
\nAugust.<\/p>\n
Tono challenged both national and foreign journalists to visit
\nthe territory and prove the reported new deployment. He said he
\nwould provide helicopters to transport them to visit any
\nregencies to check the accuracy of his statement.<\/p>\n
\"I swear to God that I do not lie. The reports are baseless,\"
\nTono said.<\/p>\n
Local residents believe that the Armed Forces (ABRI) has been
\nincreasing the number of troops in the province, especially in
\nBaucau, Manatuto, Viqueque and Los Palos, allegedly as part of
\npreparations for a fresh assault against 200 Fretilin separatist
\nfighters.<\/p>\n
In a meeting with Minister\/State Secretary Akbar Tandjung in
\nDili last week, Dili Bishop Carlos Felipe Ximenes Belo conveyed
\nthe public's allegations that ABRI had secretly sent fresh combat
\ntroops to the country's youngest province.<\/p>\n
\"I have honestly explained, the remaining troops here are only
\nfor territorial and health operations,\" Tono asserted.<\/p>\n
He also denied that he had a plan to begin a fresh campaign
\nagainst separatist guerrillas in the province.<\/p>\n
\"I am very proud that there has not been any armed contact in
\nthe last few months. That is because we have not seen them
\nintimidating people,\" the colonel said.<\/p>\n
Tono's claim was confirmed on Thursday by the chairman of the
\nMovement for Reconciliation and Unity for East Timorese People,
\nManuel Viegas Carrascalao.<\/p>\n
\"The guerrillas in the forests have taken a correct decision
\nnot to shoot arbitrarily at outsiders and civilians,\" Carrascalao
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Tono said people might have misinterpreted what they believed
\nwere signs of increasing ABRI activities in East Timor. He said
\nthe Armed Forces were just preparing to celebrate their 53rd
\nanniversary on Oct. 5.<\/p>\n
East Timor was integrated into Indonesia as the country's 27th
\nprovince in 1976. The United Nations, however, still recognizes
\nPortugal as the administering power in its former colony.<\/p>\n
Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas and his counterpart
\nJaime Gama from Portugal agreed in August to hold further
\ndiscussions on a proposal by President B.J. Habibie to grant the
\nprovince special status.<\/p>\n
Separately, Carrascalao disclosed on Thursday that the Fourth
\nAll Inclusive Intra-East Timorese Dialogue (AIETD) will be held
\nin Krumbach, Austria.<\/p>\n
The UN Secretary General's special envoy for East Timor
\nJamsheed Marker will open the four-day meeting which starts on
\nOct. 27.<\/p>\n
The meeting will be attended by both pro-integration and pro-
\nindependence leaders. There were 35 participants in last year's
\nmeeting.<\/p>\n
The meeting agreed on the establishment of an East Timor
\ncultural center but failed to agree on the center's structure,
\nfunding and legal status. (33\/prb)<\/p>",
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