Proindependence groups rally in E. Timor campus
Proindependence groups rally in E. Timor campus
DILI, East Timor (JP): A day before the signing of an
agreement between Indonesia and Portugal on a United Nations-
supervised direct ballot in East Timor, proindependence students
staged a peaceful rally inside the East Timor University campus.
Watched by police, around 100 students waved banners, and
shouted "Long live East Timor" and "No autonomy under Indonesia"
in a one-hour demonstration.
The students also waved the flag of the proindependence
National Council for an Independent East Timor (CNRT)
organization.
"We are ready to fight to sacrifice our lives until we are
able to regain our sovereignty and independence," said spokesman
Americo, who also read out the students' statement.
In the statement addressed to UN Secretary-General Kofi
Annan, and said to be endorsed by 20 proindependence groups, the
students demanded the world body lead a transitional government
before the direct vote on Aug. 8.
They insisted Annan send a peacekeeping force to disarm
prointegration and proindependence groups and to supervise the
voting process. The government has agreed to a UN police
presence, which is scheduled to arrive on May 10.
The students demanded the International Court in The Hague,
the Netherlands, bring to trial Indonesian Military (TNI) leaders
whom they accused of being war criminals. They charged that the
April 21 peace agreement between conflicting parties, also signed
by TNI Commander Gen. Wiranto, was a bid to cover the crimes.
The students dispersed after they heard of a possible attack
by prointegration militia groups, who have stepped up campaigns
to support autonomy in 13 regencies in the province.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas and his Portuguese
counterpart Jaime Gama are scheduled to meet on Wednesday in New
York to sign the agreement for a direct ballot in East Timor.
Kofi Annan will also attend the meeting.
Reuters reported on Tuesday that once the ministers sign the
accords, the first batch of 600 UN civilian personnel will head
for the former Portuguese colony. On Monday, UN spokesman Fred
Eckhard refused to provide details on the UN police contingent.
On Tuesday, Australian dailies said the autonomy package
included the provision for the National Police to intervene in
emergency situations in East Timor. In such situations all police
in the province would come under the command of the National
Police chief, Antara reported from Canberra.
The military would be reduced in stages and Jakarta would
maintain authority over immigration affairs.
The autonomous government was not to limit official positions
only to East Timorese, the agency said.
It would also manage natural resources in the area, except for
vital resources which would be controlled by the central
government.
President B.J. Habibie has pledged to let East Timor separate
from Indonesia if a majority of its 800,000 residents reject his
offer of autonomy.
On Thursday or Friday, the UN Security Council is expected to
adopt a resolution legitimizing the accords and establish a trust
fund to pay for the operation.
Nobel Peace Prize co-laureate Ramos Horta said in a letter to
Annan dated April 28, that failure to disarm proindependence and
prointegration supporters, and to reduce the army to a maximum of
1,000 soldiers, was "a recipe for disaster". (33/prb)