Calls for disarmament of Timor civilians abound

Calls for disarmament of Timor civilians abound

JAKARTA (JP): Leading figures from East Timor have called on
the Armed Forces (ABRI) to withdraw around 100 guns which it has
said it distributed among civilian gangs supportive of continued
integration with Indonesia.

Dili Bishop Carlos Felipe Ximenes Belo and jailed East
Timorese rebel leader Jose Alexandre "Xanana" Gusmao were among
leading figures from the province who renewed calls for the
military to disarm the gangs on Thursday.

"For 23 years we've seen that a military solution with guns
has been useless. So why guns again now? I just don't
understand," Belo told reporters from his residence in Dili.

He said all parties must put down their guns and begin
negotiating for peace in the province.

The 13,000 military personnel currently stationed in East
Timor should be enough to guarantee security in the troubled
province, which has a population of around 800,000, Belo said.

Asked if independence for East Timor would lead to a civil war
as suggested by the Indonesian government, Belo said: "That's
what we must avoid".

"If Indonesia were to leave after creating a pitting among the
East Timorese, it would be worse than the Portuguese colonial
administration."

Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas has repeatedly stated
that this is not Indonesia's intention.

Belo called on politicians in the province to put the welfare
of the East Timorese people before their own interests.

In Jakarta, Xanana said much feared clashes between pro and
anti-integration groups in the province must be avoided.

On Thursday, Xanana met Clementino dos Reis Amaral, Samsuddin
and Koesparmono Irsana from the National Commission on Human
Rights.

After the meeting he disclosed that a "commission for peace"
would be set up with the commission's help, adding that he would
ask his followers to give it their full cooperation.

Xanana also called on the Armed Forces (ABRI) to consider a
non-military solution for the disputed territory and said he
would order separatist rebels in the province to disarm if the
Indonesian military was willing to do the same.

On Wednesday, Antara quoted ABRI Chief of General Affairs Lt.
Gen. Sugiyono as saying he saw sense in the proposal.

"If we put down our weapons at the same time, that would be
good," Sugiyono was quoted as saying.

David Dias Ximenes, the deputy chairman of the CNRT resistance
group, said in Dili that "an independent body" was needed to
verify a recent claim made by East Timor Military Commander Col.
Tono Suratman, who said that only 100 guns had been distributed
in the province, not 20,000 as some have claimed.

Arming civilians, he said, would not help to find a peaceful
solution.

Similar calls came from Manuel Viegas Carascalao of the
Reconciliation and Unity Movement of East Timorese People
(GRPRTT) and Olandina Alves Cairo of the East Timorese Women's
Anti-Violence Movement.

Manuel said: "I don't think civil war would break out in East
Timor if Indonesia willingly let it go. But it would still be
prudent to take back the guns given to civilians."

When asked about armed civilians, Olandina said: "With their
low education levels, they would use the weapons improperly and
violence would be inevitable."

The pro-integration Forum for Democracy and Justice Unity
(FPDK) and representatives of loyalist East Timorese youths and
community leaders held separate meetings with Minister of Foreign
Affairs Ali Alatas at the latter's office here on Thursday.

They expressed their support for integration with Indonesia
and voiced their opposition to suggestions of granting
independence to the troubled province. (aan/33/01)