Indonesia surprised by delay of East Timor ballot

Indonesia surprised by delay of East Timor ballot

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas expressed
surprise on Wednesday after UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan
announced his decision to delay the direct ballot on East Timor's
future.

Annan decided on Tuesday to postpone for two weeks a crucial
Aug. 8 vote on self-determination of the former Portuguese
colony.

Alatas said he hoped the decision was made for fair and honest
reasons.

The minister said he was surprised that Annan announced the
postponement while his personal representative on East Timor,
Jamsheed Marker, was still in the country to gather information
about the latest developments in East Timor.

Alatas said he had not received any official announcement from
Annan's office and said he thought the security situation in the
province was suitable for holding the vote on self-determination.

"In Indonesia's view, concerning a delay with security
conditions as a pretext, we regard it as unfair," the minister
said after meeting with President B.J. Habibie and other
ministers, including Minister of Industry and Trade Rahardi
Ramelan, at Merdeka Palace.

Alatas said the delay was probably caused by logistics
hurdles, saying the UN Security Council was late in its approval
of the UN Mission in East Timor.

"If that is the reason, Indonesia hopes this problem is also
honestly disclosed," the minister said.

In a six-page report to the Security Council, Annan did not
give a precise date. But U.N. officials said late on Tuesday they
expected the poll to take place either on Aug. 21 or Aug. 22.

Annan said prointegration militias, believed to be operating
with the compliance of elements of the Indonesian Army, were
intimidating voters in rural areas.

"Militia activities continue to have a constricting effect on
political freedom, silencing proindependence activists and their
supporters and forcing them into hiding, thus jeopardizing the
necessary openness of the consultation (voting) process," he said
in the report.

"I hope that the security situation will have improved
sufficiently by then to enable me to make a positive
determination of the security conditions so that the operational
phases of the consultation can begin," he said, as quoted by
Reuters.

Annan said delays in obtaining Indonesian visas and slow
action by the Security Council had set back the deployment of the
UN Mission in East Timor, known as UNAMET.

Jailed East Timorese proindependence leader Jose Alexandre
"Xanana" Gusmao threw his weight behind Annan and reiterated his
commitment "to continuing to work and cooperate with all parties
involved in the self-determination process so as to guarantee to
the people of East Timor the needed and yearned-for peace and
tranquility".

Xanana made these comments on Wednesday in a statement sent
from his special detention house in Central Jakarta.

Prointegration leader Joao da Silva Tavares criticized Annan's
decision, saying there is no reason not to hold the direct ballot
as scheduled on Aug. 8.

"There is no reason for the delay, because whether it will be
held on schedule or postponed, security will remain stable here,"
Joao said.

In Dili on Wednesday, prointegration leaders Domingos Soares,
chairman of the Forum for Unity, Democracy and Justice; Fransisco
Lopes da Cruz, leader of the Front of the People of East Timor;
and Joao declared the establishment of the United Front for East
Timor Autonomy (UNIF) with the aim of ensuring security in the
province.

"These three groups will give a positive contribution to the
United Nations to create a conducive, stable and peaceful
situation for the ballot," said Lopes da Cruz, who is also
Indonesia's ambassador-at-large for East Timor affairs.

Another pro-Indonesia leader, Basilio Araujo, welcomed Annan's
decision. "For us it is no problem. It will give us more time to
prepare," said Basilio.

Separately, 30 UN volunteer Blue Berets arrived at Komoro
airport in Dili, while a group of 20 volunteers arrived in Baucau
on Wednesday. The officials are from several countries, including
Iran, India, USA and Germany. They are some of the 400 UN
volunteers who will arrive in the province.

"They must spread out as quickly as possible every day and
keep in touch with the people" and the village chiefs, to explain
the registration process, said Fritz Krebs, a UNAMET officer.

East Timor Police chief Col. Timbul Silaen welcomed 800 police
officers arriving in the province. They are part of the planned
4,000-strong police force to be deployed during the ballot
process.

Silaen told the police to act fairly and impartially to ensure
stability and security in the province. However, he said the
police would not hesitate to use any measures needed to enforce
the law.

"Police will not tolerate any violations of the law," the
colonel said. (prb/33)