Military ready to evacuate up to 250,000 from East Timor

DILI, East Timor (JP): The Indonesian Military (TNI) has prepared a contingency plan to evacuate up to 250,000 people from East Timor by land, sea and air if the tension there develops into a full-scale war.

"We don't want the plan to materialize, but if it happens, we have a mission to protect the evacuees until they reach safety," East Timor Military Commander Col. Muhammad Noer Muis said.

"Civilians must not fall prey to conflicts they don't even understand," Muis told reporters.

Muis said an extra brigade of troops was needed to augment the military personnel here to safeguard and evacuate up to 250,000 people, both locals and foreigners.

An estimated 20,000 military and police troops are currently stationed in the province.

Many observers have predicted violence following the historic ballot given that both pro-Indonesia militias and proindependence groups have refused to give up their weapons. Both camps have also indicated they were not ready to accept defeat.

In Jakarta, Minister of Justice/State Secretary Muladi estimated that a full-blown conflict in East Timor could lead to as many as 200,000 refugees fleeing the territory.

Thousands of people, both migrants and East Timorese, began leaving the territory on Tuesday, with many more joining the lines on Thursday following violence the previous night.

More than 600 people have fled to West Timor.

A bank employee said he and his colleagues had been ordered to board on Sunday a designated vessel, which would anchor off Dili at least until the vote results are announced on Tuesday.

"If the situation gets worse, we will sail to Kupang for safety," he said, adding that from Monday banking activities would be put on hold until the middle of the month.

Many Indonesian and foreign journalists covering the East Timor conflict were also starting to feel the heat. Some joined the crowd trying to leave through Comoro airport on Thursday.

Journalists were seen boarding an Air Force transport plane that had earlier brought in some 500 members of the Police Mobile Brigade.

The evacuation of journalists began following rumors that they were being singled out for attacks by pro-Jakarta militias disappointed with their reports. Indonesian and foreign journalists have also reported of attacks and intimidation.

A man in a black coat was seen approaching reporters at the airport, asking for the whereabouts of three Kompas journalists and making death threats against them.

BBC radio and television crews will leave town on Friday on a chartered flight along with dozens of other foreign journalists. A BBC reporter was assaulted on Wednesday.

Col. Muis said the evacuation operation involves the police, Army, Navy, the Air Force and local administration. It would be headed by the Nusa Tenggara military commander.

He said the operation, if it was ever carried out, would last between 10 and 12 days.

Local military commands, police stations and other safe havens, including churches, have been designated as evacuation centers. People would then be transported to the nearest regional military or police command before being taken to embarkation points.

Seaport exit points include Dili, Kom in Latem regency and Laga in Baucau regency. Refugees from East Timor's eastern part would be transported on Navy ships to the nearest island of Alor in Southern Maluku. Atambua in East Nusa Tenggara would be the main gateway for people leaving by land, while Dili and Baucau have been prepared for people leaving by air.

Muis lamented the failure of the warring camps to fully disarm themselves as required before the UN-sponsored ballot.

"The only thing we can do now is to anticipate the stream of refugees, and to appeal to the conflicting groups to avoid a war," Muis said. (amd/byg)