Peacekeeping force not needed now: Indonesia

Peacekeeping force not needed now: Indonesia

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas ruled out
on Friday the possibility of an international peacekeeping force
being deployed in East Timor until the status of the province had
been endorsed by the People's Consultative Assembly.

He made the statement amid mounting demands to send an armed
United Nations force to the province given continued reports of
violence and lawlessness there.

In anticipation of more possible unrest, Minister of Defense
and Security/Indonesian Military Commander Gen. Wiranto said two
battalions of troops had been to East Timor. He said the ballot
results would be announced on Saturday, ahead of the original
schedule of Sept. 7.

After meeting President B.J. Habibie at Merdeka Palace, Alatas
said a United Nations peacekeeping force would be considered for
later deployment if the Aug. 30 ballot showed East Timorese
preferred to separate from Indonesia.

In line with the May 5 agreement between Indonesia, Portugal
and the UN in New York, Indonesian police would remain
responsible for security in East Timor "until the acceptance of
the government accountability report or recommendations to the
People's Consultative Assembly", he said.

The Assembly's General Session is slated for November.

If the ballot results in East Timor's independence, an orderly
transfer of authority from Indonesia to the United Nations would
be arranged, according to the agreement.

"If then the UN feels a peacekeeping force is necessary, they
are welcome. But not before phase three," Alatas said, referring
to the period after the endorsement of East Timor's status by the
Assembly. UN civilian police and military liaison officers could
be increased before then, but their mandate as advisers would not
change, he said.

The May 5 agreement states: "During the interim period between
the popular consultation and the start of the implementation of
either option, the parties request the Secretary-General to
maintain an adequate UN presence in East Timor."

Despite reports of a worsening situation after the ballot,
Alatas said Indonesia still intends to overcome the situation
itself because the country's reputation is at stake.

A deployment of such a peacekeeping force is complicated, he
said, adding that the UN had not raised the issue.

Antara reported from UN headquarters that Indonesia's
permanent representative to the UN, Makarim Wibisono, had told UN
Security Council president Peter van Walsum that security was
improving in East Timor.

An indication, he said, was that "none of the international UN
staffers has been killed in East Timor".

However, from Geneva, Reuters quoted on Friday a statement
from the UN's human rights chief, Mary Robinson, which raised
concern for protection of "a terrorized population."

Her statement said, "A substantial UN peacekeeping force might
be needed to protect Timorese civilians and UN staff given the
inability of Indonesian security forces to control the
situation."

From Canberra, Antara quoted Defense Minister John Moore as
saying that one month of preparations would be needed if
Indonesia and the UN requested Australia to contribute to a
peacekeeping force.

In New York, the deputy to the United States ambassador to the
UN said on Thursday that a peacekeeping force "was not a feasible
suggestion" at this time, Antara reported on Friday.

The U.S. is a permanent member of the Security Council, with
veto right.

However, a UNAMET staff member, among those vacating their
post in Maliana following the murder of local staff on Thursday,
said a UN peacekeeping force was necessary.

Locals said they feared even more violence with the evacuation
of about 76 foreign and local journalists on Friday alone. But
many journalists only flew to nearby Bali, and others said they
would return with better preparations.

From Canberra, Reuters reported that Australian Prime Minister
John Howard called Habibie on Friday to urge the deployment of a
peacekeeping force.

"We discussed the whole issue of peacekeeping," he said,
adding he had stressed the safety of Australian nationals in East
Timor. "I am not happy with what has occurred ... there has been
lawlessness, there has been a blind eye turned to acts of
terrorism," Howard said, as quoted by AFP.

From London, Reuters quoted British Foreign Secretary Robin
Cook as saying on Friday that a British destroyer in the South
China Seas had been put on standby in case it was required in
East Timor.

While the Indonesian forces were responsible for security in
East Timor he added, "I think it is important that the
international community is ready to do what we can if the present
violence continues."

From Sydney, the Associated Press reported on Friday that
proindependence East Timorese leader in exile Jose Ramos-Horta
called for international donors to freeze all aid to Indonesia,
"to punish it for allegedly supporting anti-independence
militias" until the militias were reigned in. He added UN peace-
keepers should be deployed to save lives.

On Thursday, Asia director of Human Rights Watch Sydney Jones
also urged for "immediate suspension of all military training and
assistance programs to the Indonesian Army until there is some
evidence that it is making a serious effort to bring its proxy
militias under control". (anr/05/prb)