EU envoys greeted by protesters in Dili
EU envoys greeted by protesters in Dili
JAKARTA (Agencies): Thousands of protesters escorted three
European ambassadors through the streets of the East Timor
capital Dili yesterday as the envoys surveyed political
conditions in the troubled province, Reuters reported.
The crowd of about 5,000, many on foot and some in trucks,
forced the ambassadors' minibus to a crawl through the city's
streets from their hotel to the home of a leading dissident.
The protesters, including students and local residents,
shouted "Referendum" and "Dead or alive, we prefer to be
independent", as they followed the envoys.
Troops stood back and watched from a distance and there were
no reports of violence.
One banner draped on a truck said "East Timor is not part of
Indonesia". Others had pictures of jailed separatist leader Jose
Alexandre Xanana Gusmao, currently serving a 20-year sentence in
a Jakarta jail.
In the morning the ambassadors met students who called for the
withdrawal of troops, dialog among Timorese, a referendum for
self-determination and access by international human rights
groups to the territory.
British Ambassador Robin Christopher spoke to the crowd when
the envoys returned to the hotel, urging them to leave
peacefully.
"We, the European delegation, have had some very good meetings
today. We've heard many free expressions of opinion. It is
important that opinions are expressed freely in East Timor,"
Christopher said.
"Our mission is to listen and to hear voices of East Timor. We
are here to support the search for a peaceful solution in East
Timor that is acceptable to all parties under the United Nations.
"We will do everything we can to help and to promote peace in
East Timor. Please believe that your voices this afternoon have
been heard. We will take your messages away with us," he said.
Christopher commended the good discipline of the demonstrators
as well as their friendly and peaceful nature.
"We want the future of East Timor to be peaceful. We are
anxious to promote dialog which must include the people of East
Timor," he said. The crowds then dispersed.
The ambassadors are representing the European Union. Also
taking part in the mission are Austrian Ambassador Viktor Segalla
and Dutch Ambassador Paul Brouwer.
First visit
This is the first time that any ambassador from the European
Union accredited to the Indonesian government had visited the
former Portuguese colony. The European Union does not recognize
the 1976 integration of East Timor with Indonesia and continues
to regard the territory as part of Portugal.
Student sources said the ambassadors had abandoned plans to
attend morning mass at Dili's main cathedral, fearing it would
provoke further protests after a wave of demonstrations from pro-
Indonesia and pro-independence supporters in recent days in Dili.
When asked about the canceled plan, Christopher told
reporters: "We decided to go to the Santa Cruz Cemetery instead."
The ambassadors plan to meet legislators from the local
legislature before visiting the city of Baucau to the east of
Dili on Monday. Student sources say they plan a procession around
the capital beginning with a protest at the University of East
Timor.
Antara reported that Dili traders closed their shops yesterday
in anticipation of trouble following reports that the governor's
office was pelted by an unknown group of people the night before.
Public transportation was almost nonexistent and only few
taxis ventured to the streets.
Churches, however, held their regular masses.
Security was tight with police and soldiers deployed in
strategic locations throughout the provincial capital.
Brig. Gen. William T. Da Costa, the chief of staff of the
Udayana Military Regional Command, warned that security forces
would not tolerate any brutal acts by protesters, Antara
reported.
"We will act according to the procedures. We have safeguarded
places that could become targets of their brutality," he said.
There were brief skirmishes Saturday when some 10,000 pro-
integration demonstrators were pelted during a convoy across town
to make their support for Indonesian known.