Indonesia blasted over Dili violence

Indonesia blasted over Dili violence

JAKARTA (JP): Condemnation came hard and fast on Friday over
the violence between pro-Jakarta and proindependence militias in
East Timor on Thursday which killed at least four people, with
foreign countries reminding Indonesia of its responsibility to
maintain security ahead of the self-determination ballot on
Monday.

Violence, however, again took place on Friday. Antara quoted
East Timor Police Chief Capt. Widodo D.S. as saying that two
people were killed and four were seriously injured in two
separate clashes in the capital of Dili and in Maliana, Bobonaro
regency, some 138 km west of Dili.

In addition, 11 houses were damaged and eight cars set ablaze.

Widodo said the violence in Bobonaro erupted when a group of
unidentified people pelted stones at a motorcade of
prointegration supporters in Memo village. The prointegration
crowd retaliated, he said, leading to the burning of houses and
killing of two people.

Meanwhile, chief of the United Nations Mission in East Timor
(UNAMET) Ian Martin told a media conference in Dili that UN
secretary-general Kofi Annan was "appalled by the violence" and
called on all parties to stop the violence.

Annan called for cooperation between groups to ensure that the
ballot on the troubled territory's future will go ahead in
conditions of peace and security on Monday.

The UN said Indonesian authorities should take immediate steps
to prevent further violence, to investigate the violence and to
bring those responsible to justice.

"It is crucial that, even at this late stage, concrete and
effective steps be taken by Indonesia to control the militias
who, it is increasingly clear, are intent on disrupting the
popular consultation," Martin quoted Annan as saying.

Martin said the major problem during the popular consultation
"has been the failure to take effective action to check militia
violence."

From Sydney, AFP reported that Australian Foreign Minister
Alexander Downer urged Indonesia to take action to maintain law
and order in the territory.

"The behavior of a bunch of thugs on the streets of Dili or in
other towns of East Timor should not stop the people of East
Timor from being able to exercise democratically their own wishes
and to determine their own future," Downer said.

He said the Australian government was deeply concerned about
Thursday's rampage by the pro-Indonesia militia in Dili, which
left at least four people dead.

The Indonesian government, Military and police have full
responsibility for law and order in East Timor and they must
exercise their responsibility to ensure the ballot takes place,
he said.

Prime Minister John Howard said he would phone Indonesian
President B.J. Habibie over the weekend to make a final plea for
a free and fair ballot in East Timor.

The news agency also reported from Tokyo that Japan has called
on Indonesia to ensure security in East Timor ahead of the
ballot.

Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi made the appeal in a letter to
President Habibie on Thursday to express his concern over violent
clashes between pro and antiindependence supporters in East
Timor, Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura said Friday.

"We very much deplore the acts. They are unhelpful for a
smooth operation of the referendum or reconciliation among
parties concerned," the foreign minister said.

The Indonesian government has the responsibility of
maintaining security in East Timor, he said. "We strongly hope
that the Indonesian government shows to the international
community in a tangible form that it is making sincere efforts."

Komura said he had been assured by Indonesian Defense and
Security Minister Wiranto when he visited Jakarta last month that
the Indonesian Military would be committed to maintaining
security in East Timor.

The foreign minister quoted Wiranto as telling him that
maintaining security in East Timor was a "matter of honor" for
both the Military and the Indonesian people.

Reuters quoted the London-based Amnesty International as
saying on Thursday the human rights situation in East Timor was
deteriorating and the chance of a free and fair ballot there was
becoming more remote.

Amnesty said: "With each killing and 'disappearance', the
prospect of a free and fair ballot is becoming more remote."

"The human rights situation has deteriorated markedly over the
past fortnight as the Aug. 30 ballot approaches," the pressure
group said in a statement.

"The responsibility for the deterioration in the security
situation lies with the Indonesian authorities which, despite
repeated assurances, have failed to take the measures necessary
to provide a secure environment for the popular consultation
process," it said.

From New York, Antara quoted political observer Donald K.
Emmerson as expressing his confidence that the popular vote would
not lead to Indonesia's disintegration.

"Indonesia is not Yugoslavia and Habibie is not Slobodan
Milosevic," said the expert on Southeast Asia from University of
Wisconsin, Madison.

Meanwhile, the news agency also reported from Lisbon that
Indonesia and Portugal, under the coordination of the UN
secretary general's special envoy for East Timor, will form an
expert group for the transition period in the territory --
whatever is the outcome of Monday's autonomy ballot.

"The (formation of this) expert group was agreed upon during
the (ongoing) senior official meetings, in an effort to
anticipate the post-ballot period in East Timor," senior
Indonesian envoy, Nugroho Wisnumurti, said in Lisbon Friday.

Nugroho, who leads the Indonesian delegation to the second
part of the senior official meetings, said the expert group will
support the task of some 25 East Timorese leaders grouped in the
East Timor Consultative Commission.

The formation of the commission was agreed upon during the
first part of the meetings held in Jakarta last Aug 12-13.

"The details of the formation of the expert group will be
further discussed during the next meetings," he said.
(33/amd/bay/byg)