East Timor direct ballot will be Aug. 30, says Alatas
SINGAPORE (JP): The United Nations has announced that the direct ballot in East Timor will be held on Aug. 30.
Foreign minister Ali Alatas confirmed on Wednesday the new date, saying Indonesia could accept the new date set by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan.
"Well, I think it's possible, given the assumption that one of the reasons given was the delay in the registration of voters," said Alatas, who is on the island-state to attend a series of meetings between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and their dialog partners.
"By that reason (given to us) we, of course, assume that the registration process will now be extended," he remarked.
The vote on whether East Timor would remain part of Indonesia or be a separate state was initially scheduled for Aug. 8, but was canceled following a spat of violence and attacks on personnel of the UN Assistance Mission in East Timor (UNAMET).
Portuguese foreign minister Jaime Gama also welcomed the announcement of the new date for the ballot, saying it was completely at the prerogative of the UN secretary-general.
Noting that progress has been made in various areas toward preparations, Gama still stressed the need for the Indonesian government to improve further the security situation in East Timor.
Alatas also revealed that Indonesia was in the process of filing a demarche (a diplomatic motion) over the way UNAMET was disseminating information on the choices the East Timorese would have in the direct ballot.
"We are not too happy with UNAMET's way of explaining it," he said, specifically pointing to a television program made to illustrate the two available alternatives.
The program portrays two siblings discussing the difference between continued integration with Indonesia with wide-ranging autonomy and being independent.
According to Alatas, in the program autonomy is put into the analogy of having "your own room in a house called Indonesia" but if you refuse autonomy "you will have your own house".
"The intention may be good, but don't use such an analogy. If you put it that way, who would want to have a mere room if you can have your own house?" Alatas explained.
Meanwhile, Australian foreign minister Alexander Downer arrived here on Wednesday for a 24-hour visit before flying to East Timor on Thursday on an unprecedented visit to the troubled territory.
Speaking soon after his arrival at the Australian ambassador's residence here, Downer was quoted by AFP as saying during his Jakarta stopover he would deliver several "messages" from Australia, not only to President B.J. Habibie, but to the country's opposition leaders.
He will become the first Australian foreign minister to visit East Timor.
Meanwhile, Minister of Defense and Security/Indonesian Military (TNI) Chief Gen. Wiranto insisted in Jakarta that security situation was good enough for the direct ballot.
He said police and military personnel have worked hard to ensure peace and stability in the province.
The general, however, strongly criticized the United Nations Mission in East Timor (UNAMET) for taking side with proindependence groups and for inconsistency in implementing its own regulations.
He also criticized several Catholic church leaders who tend to serve only proindependence people. He alleged the leaders asked prointegration supporters to pay more than their rivals in order to get baptism certificates needed to register for the vote. (mds/prb)