RI faces barrage of criticism at UN special session

RI faces barrage of criticism at UN special session

UNITED NATIONS (Agencies): Indonesia faced a barrage of
criticism at a special session of the United Nations Security
Council late Saturday as most member states condemned
developments in East Timor.

Ambassador after ambassador demanded that the Jakarta
government allow an international peacekeeping force to be
immediately deployed to East Timor to rein in rampaging militias
that have ravaged the territory since the Aug. 30 self-
determination ballot.

The session was convened at the request of Portugal, backed by
Brazil.

AP reported that during the session, at which more than 40
government representatives were registered to speak, most of them
criticized Jakarta for failing in its responsibility to ensure
peace in East Timor.

"The scale of the violence, death and destruction has been far
beyond what any international observers anticipated," UN
Secretary-General Kofi Annan told council members in an open
meeting.

American UN envoy Richard Holbrooke said Indonesia faced "the
point of no return in its international relations" unless it did
so.

Holbrooke, in his first council speech since taking up his UN
post, said, "The government of Indonesia should understand that
unless it reverses course immediately, it faces the point of no
return in its international relations."

There were clear indications that the troops of Indonesian
Military chief Gen. Wiranto "have backed, encouraged and in some
cases participated in the atrocities on the ground", he said as
quoted by Reuters.

"If the crisis is not speedily and peacefully resolved, the
problem will not be contained in East Timor. It will do
irreparable damage to the economy, political process and the
people of the entire nation," he warned.

Portuguese Ambassador Antonio Monteiro warned his colleagues
that failure to authorize an international force to end the
bloodletting would destroy the credibility of the United Nations
in organizing other referendums around the world.

"The people of East Timor truly believed with open hearts in
the United Nations," Monteiro said. "They were told they should
register to vote, they were told they could vote freely in
security, they were urged to vote."

Monteiro in the past has said the council should consider
authorizing a force for East Timor even without Jakarta's
consent.

War

However, while most speakers called for the deployment of a
force they insisted that Jakarta must give its consent and that
the force be authorized by the council.

Sending troops without Indonesia's consent would amount to a
declaration of war on the world's fourth most populous country.

Permanent Security Council members Russia and China -- which
traditionally oppose peacekeeping intervention for internal
conflicts in countries -- said the Security Council should have
Indonesia's consent before dispatching a force.

They could veto any resolution authorizing a force. Both,
however, pledged to assist in any force that received a green
light from Indonesia.

China's Ambassador Qin Huasun stressed that "the deployment of
any peacekeeping force should be at the request of the Indonesian
government and approved by the Security Council".

Meanwhile, Russia's Ambassador Sergei Lavrov said Moscow
supported the deployment under two conditions -- Jakarta's
consent and a UN resolution authorizing it.

"Regrettably, that position is now being placed in jeopardy by
the tragedy that has engulfed the people of East Timor," he said
as quoted by DPA.

Other countries, such as Sudan, Cuba and Egypt, said Indonesia
should be trusted and given more time to follow up on its pledge
to bring the security situation under control by itself.

"Hasty action by the council will aggravate an already
worsening situation," Sudanese Ambassador Elfatih Erwa warned.

Face

To help Indonesia save face, most speakers -- who included
many noncouncil members -- watered down further recriminations,
saying that a force would "assist" Indonesia in restoring order.

French Ambassador Alain Dejammet, referring to previous UN
failures, said the question facing the council was: "Are we back
in 1994 dealing with Rwanda? Are we back in 1998 facing Kosovo?
Are we going to react in time to prevent forced exoduses and
massacres?"

Britain's deputy permanent representative, Stewart Eldon, said
his country was a long-standing friend of Indonesia and wanted to
see it strong, united and democratic.

"But we are horrified at the tragedy going on in East Timor.
We fear that if it continues it will undermine all of the
remarkable progress in Indonesia which we have so much admired in
the last 12 months," he said.

Australia's Ambassador Penny Wensley said her country's
interest was "in an Indonesia which is successful and
constructively engaged with the international community, not an
Indonesia which is isolated and disadvantaged through
confrontation over East Timor".

Canada's Ambassador Robert Fowler called the present situation
in East Timor "obscene in its dimensions", adding, "The numbers
of dead and displaced are growing steadily as is the wanton
destruction of property."

The Security Council does not plan to adopt any resolution
until after the debate resumes early next week, following the
return of a council mission to Jakarta and Dili, the East Timor
capital.