East Timor under siege

East Timor under siege

Indonesia's military and millions of nationalists deeply resent the offer of independence (to East Timor) and worry that it could encourage separatist movements in other regions. What East Timor is suffering is not chaos but an organized rampage by the militias, as some of the more that 15,000 Indonesian troops there stand by and even participate. The violence is very likely being coordinated by military men in Jakarta.

Indonesia's government insists that it can solve the problem without international help and has declared martial law. But Indonesia's military is the problem, not the solution.

Getting Jakarta's consent for an international peacekeeping force will require strong and immediate pressure, especially from the United States, Australia -- which has strong ties to Indonesia's military -- and Japan, a large donor of economic aid.

All three nations should announce that they are cutting off all military aid and sales. They, and the international banks, should also stop all but humanitarian loans and economic aid. America should give the peacekeeping mission a strong endorsement. An international force is clearly the last resort, to be tried only if Mr. Habibie and Indonesia's military leader, General Wiranto, will not stop the violence.

But a united, powerful threat from abroad is likely needed to persuade them to end the killings.

-- The New York Times