Murder aimed at 'humiliating me'

Murder aimed at 'humiliating me'

NEW YORK (JP): President Abdurrahman Wahid said here on
Wednesday (local time) that the murder of three UN humanitarian
workers in Atambua, East Nusa Tenggara, was a well organized
scheme to humiliate him while attending an international summit.

Abdurrahman said the timing of the attack had been carefully
chosen to coincide with his visit to the United Nations'
Millennium Summit.

"The timing was precisely selected while I was in New York.
The purpose was to humiliate me," the President told journalists
after receiving a group of American businessmen at the Regal UN
Plaza Hotel where he is staying during the five-day visit.

Officials close to the President said that Abdurrahman was
furious with the savage attack as it occurred only a few hours
before the opening of the Summit earlier in the day, which was
attended by about 150 heads of state and government.

Abdurrahman said that he had instructed the Indonesian
Military (TNI) Chief Adm. Widodo A.S. to arrest those who were
responsible for the attack.

He added that he had ordered military and police chiefs in
Jakarta to deploy two battalions of troops from the Army's
Strategic Reserves Command (Kostrad) and the elite Police's
Mobile Brigade to Atambua to restore order.

The three UN workers were killed when a mob of thousands
stormed the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
office in Atambua, East Nusa Tenggara on Wednesday.

Atambua, a border town located on the western half of Timor
island, has a high concentration of East Timor refugees.

The mob apparently attacked the UN office after hearing news
that former militia leader Olivio Moruk had been slain the
previous night. Olivio was also one of the 19 suspects named in
the case of rights abusers during last year's violence in East
Timor.

Abdurrahman expressed regret over the death of the UN workers
and conveyed condolences to the families of the deceased.

"We regret what has happened and I would like to convey my
condolences to the families of the victims," he told journalists
before entering the summit venue.

Abdurrahman is expected to convey his official condolences and
explanation of the attack to the international community when he
addresses the Summit on Friday morning.

Investigation

In Jakarta, top government officials expressed regret at the
death of the UN workers and vowed to thoroughly investigate the
incident.

Coordinating Minister for Political, Social and Security
Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said it was an unexpected
incident amid the government's efforts to improve protection for
international institutions and foreigners in Indonesia.

"The government is deeply concerned over the incident and
expresses its deep condolences," he told journalists on Thursday.

Susilo said the incident occurred when a demonstration to
protest the killing of Olivio turned violent.

He said he was coordinating with TNI Chief Widodo, National
Police Chief Gen. Rusdihardjo, Maj. Gen. Kiki Syahnakri, chief of
the Udayana Military Command, the East Nusa Tenggara Military
District and the provincial administration to investigate the
attack and restore security and order in the regency bordering
East Timor.

"The situation is now under control after a battalion of
troops and several companies of police were deployed on
Wednesday," he said.

He called on the UN Transition Administration in East Timor
(UNTAET) to be cooperative in creating a conducive climate along
the border to avoid similar incidents in the future.

"Through UNTAET, the government also calls on East Timorese
figures to stop making political statements that raise political
tension along the border," he said.

He added that two people were killed in a separate conflict
between refugees and locals for unclear reasons in Atambua on
Wednesday evening.

Susilo said a joint team from the Military Police and National
Police has arrested 15 refugees who were suspected of being
involved in the violence and a man suspected of killing the
militia leader.

Asked about possible political motives behind the violence and
Olivio's murder, Susilo said he has yet to receive such evidence.

"The investigation is expected to reveal whether the incidents
are politically motivated to discredit Abdurrahman Wahid's
government," he said.

Separately police chief Gen. Rusdihardjo admitted that police
failed to anticipate the aftermath of the murder of the ex-
militia leader.

"After the murder (of Olivio), the situation escalated so fast
that we did not have a chance to secure the UNHCR office,"
Rusdihardjo told reporters at police headquarters.

Rusdihardjo could not understand why the mob began attacking
the UN office: "Why should the UNHCR be the target of the
attack?"

Separately House of Representatives Speaker Akbar Tandjung
said the government could not be held accountable for the attack
on the UNHCR office because it was committed by persons having no
links with Indonesia.

According to him, the incident was committed by East Timorese
who were disappointed with the current situation in the former
Indonesian territory.(rms/byg/prb/jaw)