Government revokes martial law in East Timor

Government revokes martial law in East Timor

JAKARTA (JP): President B.J. Habibie lifted on Friday the
state of military emergency in East Timor and ordered Indonesian
Military (TNI) chief Gen. Wiranto to hand over TNI's
responsibility on security and order to the International Force
for East Timor (Interfet).

Minister of Justice/State Secretary Muladi said with the
issuance of Presidential Decree No. 113, the President revoked
his previous decree, No. 107, which declared martial law in East
Timor starting from Sept. 7.

"With the revocation of the military emergency status, East
Timor automatically returns to civil order status," Muladi told
journalists after attending a Cabinet meeting at Bina Graha
presidential office.

He said the decision was made given the improved security
situation in East Timor.

Muladi said Gen. Wiranto would also instruct the commander of
the Restoration Operation Command in East Timor, Maj. Gen. Kiki
Syahnakri, to transfer TNI's control of security in the territory
to Interfet Commander Maj. Gen. Peter Cosgrove this week.

"It will likely be handed over either on Friday or Saturday,"
Muladi remarked.

Habibie also issued Presidential Instruction No. 13 on
Thursday, which orders officials, both military and civilian, to
support and provide necessary information to the Fact Finding
Commission on East Timor.

The National Commission on Human Rights set up the fact
finding team on Wednesday to probe human rights abuses in the
territory.

Muladi said the government would also send a team to attend
the UN High Commission on Human Rights'(UNHCR) special session on
the weekend in Geneva to discuss developments in East Timor.

He argued that it was unnecessary for the UN to set up a
special team to investigate rights violations in East Timor
because the task was already being done by an Indonesian team.

Gunfire

Meanwhile, the situation in Dili was tense for several hours
on Thursday afternoon as gunfire was heard in several parts of
the capital city. However, it is unclear who was responsible for
the gunshots.

There were confusing and conflicting claims from officials on
both sides.

The spokesman for the Restoration Operation Command in East
Timor, Col. Willem Rampangilei, claimed that Interfet troops
fired warning shots to ward off Indonesian troops collecting
ammunition from a military store in Taibessi, east of Dili.

"There was a misunderstanding about the activities of
Indonesian soldiers who were moving goods from the store," said
Rampangilei. "Misunderstandings sometimes happen."

However, British commander Brig. Gen. David Richards, whose
soldiers were reportedly involved in the confrontation, was
quoted by AFP as saying that Indonesian troops fired the shots
and denied any of the multinational troops had fired.

Separately, the Thai deputy commander of Interfet reportedly
left for Jakarta on Thursday for talks with Gen. Wiranto to try
ease mounting tension in East Timor.

A senior Thai army source told Reuters in Bangkok that
Thailand was concerned about the "aggressive" approach taken by
the Australian commander of the UN force and wanted to calm the
atmosphere.

The Thai army said Maj. Gen. Songkitti Chakkrabhat, the deputy
commander of the UN-mandated force, would hold talks with Gen.
Wiranto and other senior Indonesian Military figures in Jakarta
on Friday.

"He (Cosgrove) led the troops into East Timor with the kind of
aggressive attitude that is no good to anyone. That kind of
attitude can only lead to more violence and eventually East Timor
will end up like the Vietnam War," said the senior army officer,
who did not want to be identified.

Thailand's 1,000-strong contribution to the multinational
force would leave for East Timor on Oct. 1 and be based in
Baucau, about 100 kilometers from Dili.

Meanwhile in Ambeno, the East Timor enclave in East Nusa
Tenggara, hundreds of pro-Jakarta militiamen grouped in Aitarak
and Sakunar began rooting out on Thursday proindependence rivals
hiding in the forests and hills of Mount Butete.

A prointegration militiaman, Ricardo Fretes, said the move was
in retaliation to an alleged attack on Aitarak members by
Interfet troops in Dili.

He said hundreds of members of Besi Merah Putih (Red and White
Iron), a pro-Jakarta militia from Liquica, would join the hunt.

Sporadic gunshots were heard in the area as dusk fell.

A member of Besi Merah Putih, Alves Correira, 30, said
prointegration forces would prevent Interfet troops from reaching
Ambeno. "They will never set foot on Ambeno," he said.

In a related development International Monetary Fund (IMF)
managing director Michel Camdessus said in Washington on Thursday
that a resumption of aid for Indonesia depends on developments in
East Timor and the resolution of the Bank Bali scandal.

He expressed hope that with the arrival of a UN force a "more
acceptable situation will progressively be established."

But he said it would not make sense for the IMF to resume aid
until bilateral donors lifted their own suspension as IMF aid
only worked as part of a concerted effort. (prb/27)