Green light for East Timor ballot

Green light for East Timor ballot

JAKARTA (JP): United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan
announced on Wednesday that despite misgivings about security in
East Timor, voter registration for the self-determination ballot
in the territory would begin on Friday.

In a letter to the UN Security Council (UNSC) president, Hasmy
Agam, a copy of which was made available here on Thursday, Annan
said "violence and intimidation have continued to be carried out
with impunity by pro-autonomy militias".

Despite the pessimistic analysis, he said his decision to
begin the registration was based on "positive assurance by the
Indonesian authorities, on the condition that meaningful, visible
improvements in the security situation will be observed in the
immediate future".

Annan said the UN was determined to go ahead with the ballot
"undeterred by the intimidation, and in view of the need to
adhere to the shortest possible time frame".

He said the UN Mission in East Timor (UNAMET) would
continuously assess the security situation, and that he intended
to review conditions halfway through the registration period.

The secretary-general has delayed the direct ballot from its
original schedule, from Aug. 8 to either Aug. 21 or Aug. 22, due
to logistical difficulties and security problems. Voter
registration was also delayed for two days from Wednesday.

On Thursday and Friday (New York local time), a senior
official from Portugal's foreign ministry, Fernando Neves, and
his Indonesian counterpart, Nugroho Wisnumurti, are scheduled to
meet again with UN special representative Jamsheed Marker to
discuss vote preparations and a post-ballot plan.

"Registration will be a success so long as people are not
using arms, as long as violent acts are not taking place," UNAMET
chief Ian Martin said in Dili.

UNAMET spokesman David Wimhurst announced in Dili that all 200
registration centers, each staffed with two electoral officers,
would open simultaneously to register up to 400,000 eligible
voters as of 7 a.m. on Friday. The registration period will
proceed for 20 days.

Wimhurst said registration centers would also open
simultaneously in other Indonesian cities, as well as overseas to
cater for thousands of East Timorese who fled the former
Portuguese colony from the period of Indonesia's entry in 1975.

U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific
Affairs Stanley Roth, accompanied by U.S. Ambassador Stapleton
Roy, arrived in Dili on Thursday to carry out a direct assessment
of conditions in the troubled territory.

Roth, who will stay in the province until Saturday, reiterated
his country's concern over reports of violence by pro-Indonesian
militias and the source of their support.

"I think I made clear (on Wednesday) the fact that there was
significant evidence that elements of the military have been
supporting some of the militia groups, and that was a large
contribution to the lack of security," Roth said before meeting
Ian Martin.

Roth warned the government on Wednesday that it would incur
strained ties with the international community, including the
U.S., if it failed to restore security in the province.

Ian Martin and East Timor Police chief Col. Timbul Silaen
visited Manatuto and Viqueque regencies on Thursday morning,
following reports that prointegrationists had rejected
participating in the ballot, following their claims that UNAMET
was biased toward proindependence groups.

"We have come to an agreement that all problems will be
solved, so that the ballot can be conducted in a conducive
atmosphere," Timbul said.

Citing international reports, East Timor Governor Abilio Jose
Osorio Soares said the security situation remained fragile in
Liquica, Maliana, Viqueque, Suai and Dili.

"According to the international community, in the five
regencies there are still violations of regulations set up by the
UN," the governor said in Liquica, referring to the requirement
to ensure peace ahead of the ballot in the May 5 agreement
between Indonesia and Portugal.

The governor said conditions in the regencies of Ambeno,
Aileu, Ermera, Ainaro, Manatuto, Baucau, Manufahi and Lautem were
stable.

From Lisbon, Antara reported that Indonesia would send three
officials to observe registration of 1,700 East Timorese in
Portugal. Australia, with some 20,000 East Timorese, has one of
the largest number of ballot participants outside the province.
(33/prb)