WB urges end to W. Timor violence<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): World Bank President James Wolfensohn urged
\nIndonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid in a letter last week to
\nhalt violence in West Timor but he said nothing about any plans
\nto cut further aid, the bank's country director here Mark Baird
\nsaid on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Baird said in a statement that Wolfensohn did warn in a Sept.8
\nletter to Abdurrahman that events in West Timor would have a
\nnegative impact on international sentiment towards Indonesia,
\naffecting donor support and investor confidence.<\/p>\n
"But contrary to some reports, the World Bank has no plans to
\ncut assistance or delay the Consultative Group on Indonesia
\ncreditor meeting (scheduled in Tokyo for next month)," Baird
\nasserted.<\/p>\n
The Washington Post was quoted by Reuters on Tuesday as
\nreporting, based on Wolfensohn's letter to Abdurrahman, that the
\nWorld Bank chief warned the Indonesian President to take concrete
\nsteps to end violence in West Timor or risk financial assistance.<\/p>\n
"I would ask you to do your utmost to stop the violence before
\nany more innocent lives are lost," the Post quoted Wolfensohn as
\nsaying in the letter delivered to Abdurrahman in New York on
\nFriday, just days after three United Nations relief workers were
\nkilled by a militia-led mob in western Timor.<\/p>\n
The Post described Wolfensohn's letter to Wahid as being
\nunusually political in nature for the World Bank, which has
\nprovided billions of dollars in loans to Indonesia and generally
\nfocuses on economic policies.<\/p>\n
Baird said the World Bank had no plans to revise its support
\nto Indonesia.<\/p>\n
"What the letter clearly indicates is that the international
\ncommunity will be looking for early and concrete action to
\naddress the situation in West Timor," Baird said.<\/p>\n
Baird said Wolfensohn's letter made three key points: the
\nviolence must be brought under control; the U.N. must be allowed
\nto resume humanitarian activities; and refugees who wish to
\nreturn to East Timor should be able to do so.<\/p>\n
The 20 countries and agencies that are the biggest donors to
\nthe bank's Indonesian programs are due to meet in mid-October.<\/p>\n
"I look forward to being able to report to donors at next
\nmonth's Consultative Group meeting that the violence has ended,
\nthat the United Nations has been able to resume its humanitarian
\nactivities and that those who want to return home to East Timor
\nare now being allowed to do so in safety," Wolfensohn wrote,
\naccording to the Post.<\/p>\n
Reminding Wahid that Indonesia still needs financial support
\nand investor confidence, the bank president pointedly added that
\n"this is ... an issue watched closely by the international
\ncommunity."<\/p>\n
The United Nations Security Council will send a mission to
\nIndonesia next week to investigate the resurgence of military
\nstrikes against U.N. relief workers and Timorese civilians
\ntrapped in refugee camps.<\/p>\n
The militias, originally organized by the Indonesia army, went
\non the rampage in East Timor a year ago after the people there
\nvoted overwhelmingly for independence from Jakarta. The militia
\nwere quelled by Australian-led troops and fled over the border to
\nIndonesian West Timor, herding hundreds of thousands of Timorese
\nwith them into refugee camps.<\/p>\n
The World Bank has $5.5 billion in outstanding commitments to
\nIndonesia, of which $2.8 billion has not been disbursed. That
\nincludes money for 64 specific projects as well as structural
\nadjustment programs that help support the budget and fund social
\nprograms.<\/p>\n
In fiscal 2000, the World Bank committed itself to an
\nadditional $2.74 billion in future loans. Because higher oil
\nprices have boosted Indonesia's revenue, new commitments in
\nfiscal 2001 are expected to be much lower.<\/p>\n
When violence broke out in the former Indonesian region of
\nEast Timor, now an independent nation, Wolfensohn warned
\nAbdurrahman's predecessor, B.J. Habibie, that he risked losing
\ninternational financial support if he did not order the
\nIndonesian military to stop the bloodshed.<\/p>\n
U.S. Defence Secretary William Cohen is traveling to Jakarta
\nnext week to convey a similar message.<\/p>\n
The deaths last week of the three U.N. workers "raise more
\nquestions about why the violence is allowed to continue," the
\nPost quoted Wolfensohn as writing.<\/p>\n
Wolfensohn added that despite Abdurrahman's previous
\nassurances, "the situation grows more dangerous and urgent by the
\nday," the Post reported, as quoted by Reuters.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/wb-urges-end-to-w-timor-violence-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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