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.