Rival E. Timor groups reconcile in Kupang
Rival E. Timor groups reconcile in Kupang
KUPANG, East Nusa Tenggara (JP): Former East Timorese warring
groups -- the proindependence National Council for East Timor
Resistance (CNRT) and the Prointegration Fighters (PPI) -- met
here on Tuesday, admitted their past mistakes and pledged to
disarm themselves in order to jointly develop East Timor.
"We have agreed to admit our past mistakes and vow to develop
East Timor, although some prointegration leaders will continue to
live in Indonesia," said Nomencio Lopes de Carvalho, a PPI
commander.
However in the meeting, CNRT also rejected the request for an
amnesty made by PPI, saying they were not eligible to grant such
pardons.
"East Timor is in a transitional situation so CNRT can't talk
about amnesty matters," Francisco Guterres, an executive from
CNRT, said.
He added that his group was not a political party, but merely
an organization to accommodate the East Timorese struggle against
Indonesia's integration.
Francisco even announced that CNRT would be dissolved on June
9 after its 24-year existence.
He pointed out the group was an umbrella organization which
accommodated all political parties in the territory.
Francisco said that at present the territory was still under
the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor
(UNTAET).
The prointegration leaders asked for pardons for past human
rights abuses and other violence committed during the 1999
ballot.
Tuesday's meeting marked the reunion of the warring faction
leaders.
Meanwhile in the border town of Atambua, grenades exploded at
around 8:30 a.m.
The explosions killed at least three people and injured
several others on Tuesday.
Commander of the border security task force Lt. Col. Magna
Candra confirmed the incident but could not give further details
as an examination into the incident was still underway.
He said contact with United Nation's Peacekeeping Forces would
be made soon to verify the incident.
He said there were two blasts in an interval of less than five
minutes.
The explosions, caused panic among residents of Maumetan
Raihon hamlet in East Timor and the nearby villages in East Nusa
Tenggara.
According to Magna, personnel of the Indonesian Military (TNI)
saw three East Timorese killed in the blasts who were then rushed
by locals to territory within East Timor.
Officials at the local Atambua General Hospital said that at
least three Indonesians were injured in the incident, including
an army sergeant who was a member of the local subdistrict
military command. (30/emf)