Xanana meets pro-Jakarta militia group in peace bid<\/p>\n
DILI, East Timor (AP): In an attempt to foster national
\nreconciliation, East Timor's pro-independence leader Xanana
\nGusmao met leaders of the pro-Indonesian militia bands that laid
\nwaste to his country two years ago, UN officials said Wednesday.<\/p>\n
The previously unannounced meeting took place Tuesday on the
\nborder between East Timor and the Indonesian-held western half of
\nthe island, UN spokesman Peter Biro said.<\/p>\n
About 300 people, most of them militia members, attended the
\ngathering in the village of Salele, about 100 kilometers (60
\nmiles) southwest of East Timor's capital, Dili.<\/p>\n
The rally was the latest in a series of such meetings
\norganized by Gusmao, who led East Timor's struggle for
\nindependence from Indonesia, to convince militia leaders and
\ntheir followers to return and take part in the country's first
\nelections on Aug. 30.<\/p>\n
\"The number of participants was unexpected and unprecedented,
\nbut the community wanted to come en masse to talk,\" said
\nNagalingam Parameswaran, a senior UN official who organized the
\nevent.<\/p>\n
Gusmao, who is widely expected to become the first president
\nof the newly independent East Timor, has said that he supports
\nthe idea of giving amnesties to former militiamen.<\/p>\n
\"Xanana is respected at the highest level by the pro-Jakarta
\nleaders and he has the ability to bring the community together,\"
\nParameswaran said.<\/p>\n
Indonesia invaded the half-island territory in 1975 after
\nPortuguese colonial rule collapsed. But Indonesian forces were
\nnever able to suppress a guerrilla movement, which enjoyed wide
\nsupport among the population. In the 1990s, the military
\nrecruited a number of armed militia groups to act as auxiliaries
\nin the war.<\/p>\n
When the government in Jakarta agreed in 1997 to allow a UN-
\nsupervised referendum on independence, the paramilitaries were
\nused to terrorize the population into voting for union with
\nIndonesia. But the attempt backfired and the ballot resulted in
\nan overwhelming vote for independence.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian military and their proxies responded by killing
\nhundreds and destroying most of East Timor's infrastructure and
\nbuildings. When international troops arrived in September 1999,
\nthousands of militiamen fled to West Timor with the withdrawing
\nIndonesian troops.<\/p>\n
Although most refugees have since been repatriated, the United
\nNations says about 50,000 people remain in refugee camps in West
\nTimor. The majority have links with the former Indonesian
\nadministration or militia groups.<\/p>\n
The world body is administering East Timor during its
\ntransition to full independence, expected sometime next year.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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