TNI ready to welcome UN peacekeeping force

TNI ready to welcome UN peacekeeping force

JAKARTA (JP): Top military officials said they were doing
their best to maintain security in East Timor, and were willing
to gradually withdraw their troops if a United Nations
peacekeeping force was sent to the territory to safeguard the
transition period.

A transition period is expected if Monday's direct ballot
results in the rejection of autonomy within Indonesia, making the
province a UN-administered territory.

"Security forces have tried to overcome and neutralize
(incidents after the ballot)... therefore, let's keep East Timor
safe," Minister of Defense and Security/Indonesian Military
Commander Gen. Wiranto said in Jakarta on Wednesday. He made the
statement before reports of more violence came in from East
Timor.

Also on Wednesday, military spokesman Brig. Gen. Soedrajat
said if necessary Indonesia would invite the UN to deploy a
peacekeeping force during the transition period. TNI would then
gradually withdraw its forces, he said.

A worst-case scenario is the eruption of civil war if East
Timor separates from Indonesia, he said.

He said if this occurred, TNI would help protect displaced
people, adding, "It would be difficult for TNI to maintain its
presence if East Timor became a new state."

"TNI will then request a UN peacekeeping force so the TNI will
be clean," he said. TNI and the National Police have been
criticized for failing to prevent violence in East Timor
involving armed civilians. They were praised, however, following
Monday's largely peaceful voting.

In reaction to how veteran soldiers might view East Timor
separating from Indonesia, Soedradjat said "all parties with
emotional ties" to the province should view these developments as
"historical fact".

Many soldiers died during military operations in East Timor
and veterans have voiced resentment of President B.J. Habibie's
approval of the ballot.

Soedradjat said if the ballot resulted in the rejection of
autonomy, "The Indonesian Military would still have a
responsibility to maintain security, but we could not do it
alone; we would request the deployment of a UN peacekeeping
force."

Saying he was quoting a statement made by Wiranto during a
visit to Malang, East Java, on Tuesday, Soedrajat said in case of
East Timor's separation, TNI and the National Police would not
turn their backs on their responsibility to help safeguard the
province.

Under the UN agreement on the direct ballot, the police are
responsible for security in East Timor.

If necessary TNI will become part of the UN peacekeeping
force, "wearing the UN's blue berets", Soedradjat said.

Soedradjat also said police, together with prointegration and
proindependence supporters, had conducted raids to confiscate
weapons from civilians.

A police officer in Dili said on Wednesday the police had to
disarm civilians "gradually", or risk provoking violence toward
security personnel.

However, chairwoman of House Commission I for security and
defense, Aisyiah Amini, rejected the possibility of a UN
peacekeeping force in East Timor.

"Predictions (of violence) are excessive. Indonesia must
resist the deployment of such a force," she said.

Visiting Irish Foreign Minister David Andrews said after
meeting with President B.J. Habibie, "The people of East Timor
must be given permanent peace."

Meanwhile, overseas calls for a peacekeeping force in the
territory mounted.

An editorial of Singapore's Straits Times daily urged
Indonesia's military to "suppress its instinct to hit back" in
the event the ballot results in independence for East Timor.

"Much as Jakarta dislikes the idea, stationing a UN
peacekeeping force in East Timor will help to keep the peace,"
the daily said, as quoted by Reuters.

An Australian newspaper, The Canberra Times, wrote: "The East
Timorese voted in peace and they voted for peace, but there are
no guarantees that peace will be their immediate reward."

New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs Don McKinnon said if
violence escalated in the territory there was the possibility of
intervention by Australia, New Zealand, Japan, the United States
and possibly members of the Association of South East Asian
Nations, Reuters reported. (emf/prb/05)