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)