E. Timor welcomes Megawati's Independence Day remarks
E. Timor welcomes Megawati's Independence Day remarks
DILI, East Timor (AP): Political leaders and UN administrators Friday hailed Indonesian President Megawati Soekarnoputri's acknowledgment of East Timor's independence and said they were encouraged by her commitment to human rights.
On Thursday, Megawati said for the first time that she respected East Timor's right to secede from Indonesia in her state of the nation speech in Jakarta.
During her 21-month tenure as vice president, the staunch nationalist who had opposed East Timor's independence pointedly avoided meeting political leaders from the half-island territory or officials of its UN administration.
East Timorese Nobel laureate Jose Ramos Horta praised Megawati for saying the territory had the right to self-determination.
Horta said he was also encouraged by Megawati's promise to bring to trial anyone proven guilty of human rights abuses.
"I am pleased with all the statements she has made in regard to the human rights tribunal to be set up in Indonesia," he said.
UN administrator Sergio Vieira de Mello described Megawati's statement as courageous.
"I applaud her wisdom and this shows she is a stateswoman, which is what Indonesia and East Timor need," he told reporters in the capital Dili.
Human rights activists have expressed concern that Megawati's close ties with members of the military accused of human rights abuses in East Timor could hamper a human rights tribunal.
Meanwhile, preparations for the territory's first democratic election on Aug. 30 continue with only a few cases of voter intimidation.
Three hundred East Timorese soldiers and over 800 local police have joined UN police and military to boost security during the vote, said de Mello.
Meanwhile in Canberra, Australia will send a nine member team to East Timor to act as official observers to a historic ballot this month, Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said Friday.
The delegation will include former deputy prime minister Tim Fischer, politicians and nongovernment representatives, Downer said.
East Timor goes to the polls on Aug. 30 to elect an 88-member constituent assembly which will draft a constitution and steer the nascent nation to full independence.
Downer said Australia had also provided financial support for the upcoming elections, including help for the National Council and support for civic education and electoral capacity-building.