Inform public of new troop arrivals, says Bishop Belo

Inform public of new troop arrivals, says Bishop Belo

DILI, East Timor (JP): Dili Bishop Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo
has requested that the military practice transparency in the
deployment and withdrawal of troops here to avoid distrust among
locals.

In a Friday meeting with Golkar chairman and Minister/State
Secretary Akbar Tandjung who was here to open a Golkar function,
Belo said he had received reports that the Armed Forces (ABRI)
had sent more troops to the province, replacing those who were
pulled out from the province last month.

Despite the news that ABRI withdrew 1,300 soldiers, "We
heard... there were other troops entering from the west in
Kurita Bay (through Atapupu Port) and through Com and Ilomar in
Lautem regency" in the eastern part of the province, Belo said,
adding that this had offended locals.

ABRI's information office has denied the reports, saying
additional personnel were noncombat troops and included medical
officers. A non-governmental organization, Solidamor, was earlier
quoted by Antara as saying that additional troops had been
deployed after the widely publicized withdrawal of combat troops
was completed last month.

East Timor Military Commander Col. Tono Suratman has said the
remaining military personnel totaled 5,000 territorial soldiers
stationed in 13 regencies.

Belo told Akbar that he had conveyed his concerns to Col.
Tono. Belo said he had requested that the commander inform the
public of any new troop deployments and confirm that the
additional troops were from local military commands and not the
combat troops which ABRI said had all been pulled out.

Belo also requested that to ensure transparency, troops should
enter East Timor in the daytime through Dili port, not at night
through other ports.

"Please convey that to the President," the Nobel peace
laureate told Akbar, "because in this reform era people want to
see concrete and transparent actions so that everything runs
well."

Akbar promised to convey Belo's message to President B.J.
Habibie and to Minister of Defense and Security/Armed Forces
Commander Gen. Wiranto. "We know that the military has to
approach local communities in its territorial tasks," Akbar said.
"But as the bishop said, it should be transparent."

Belo met with Habibie in June, when Habibie assured him that
he would soon withdraw combat troops from the country's youngest
province and grant it a special status.

The bishop praised Habibie at the time as an extraordinary
leader. A total of 1,300 combat soldiers were then pulled out up
to August.

The former Portuguese colony of East Timor was integrated into
Indonesia in 1976.

The United Nations has not recognized the integration and
continues to sponsor a dialog between the Indonesian foreign
minister and Portuguese foreign minister to find an
internationally acceptable solution to the issue.

During the meeting with Belo, Akbar and his entourage talked
at length about Golkar and how to win next year's general
election. "If Bapak bishop prays for Golkar, we are sure that
Golkar will win," said one of Akbar's aides.

"Prayers are not enough if you do not fulfill your campaign
promises to the people," Belo replied. (33/prb)