UN, government disagree over ballot observers

DILI, East Timor (JP): Indonesia and the United Nations Mission in East Timor (UNAMET) are at odds over the presence of a number of local poll observers here ahead of the Aug. 30 self- determination vote.

Highlighting the tension, some 400 members of 24 Indonesian organizations who arrived here on a warship on Monday have threatened to occupy the UNAMET headquarters if their applications for accreditation to monitor the ballot are rejected.

UNAMET chief Ian Martin, who met Golkar chairman Akbar Tandjung and his entourage at the Comoro Airport on Tuesday, refused to comment on the threat, pledging only to remain neutral in organizing the ballot.

UNAMET spokesman David Wimhurst told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday the Indonesian observers were welcome to apply for accreditation but their number would be kept to a minimum.

"The number of organizations which want to monitor the ballot is too great. We want to limit the number to a maximum of 50 independent observers," he said.

Activists from Golkar-affiliated youth organizations, including Sus Bahur of AMPI, Patar Tobing of the Pancasila Youth and Arya Windaro of the Indonesian Youth Generation Movement complained at a press conference on Monday that UNAMET had unclear reasons for rejecting their applications to monitor the ballot.

They said they wanted to monitor the ballot because they wanted to show their solidarity with the East Timorese.

Bahur called the refusal "irrational", if it was based solely on the fact that the groups arrived on a warship. He pointed out that many among them reached Dili on commercial flights.

"The Rectors Forum delegation also used the warship to reach East Timor but they were given accreditation," he said, referring to an independent poll watchdog which also monitored the June 7 general election.

"If UNAMET (maintains) its stance we will demonstrate and occupy the UNAMET headquarters," he said.

Reports said UNAMET has accredited 1,300 observers, with 100 of them representing the Indonesian and Portuguese governments. However, the mission refused to authorize 370 observers who claimed to represent Indonesian non-governmental organizations.

Separately, the Indonesian Task Force for the Implementation of the Autonomy Ballot in East Timor (P3TT) has expressed regret over the reported refusal of UNAMET to accredit the organizations.

"Since the beginning, we have stressed the autonomy ballot (must be) a transparent and democratic process, and all independent and credible monitoring agencies should be given the right to monitor it," P3TT spokesman Dino Patti Djalal said.

Dino emphasized that Indonesia bears a great interest in the search for a solution to East Timor's problems.

"So, it is hard to conceive that Indonesian organizations are being refused by UNAMET to act as monitoring agencies," he said.

Stepping into the conflict, East Timor Military Commander Col. Noer Muis told the Post he would consult both UNAMET and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs about the matter.

"I just received information from UNAMET that (the youth's) applications are still being processed," he said.

Criticism

Meanwhile, visiting Golkar chairman Akbar Tandjung accused UNAMET of not being neutral in its mission in the province.

"To us (Golkar), UNAMET has accorded the proindependence faction special treatment, favoring the group to help it win the ballot. It has also blown up minor violations committed by prointegration supporters. It is completely unfair," he said after meeting with Martin.

Separately, chairman of the National Commission on Human Rights Marzuki Darusman expressed optimism that the referendum on the troubled territory's future would go ahead on Aug. 30 despite a string of violations during the campaign period.

"There has been a feasible political and security climate in the province so that a further delay of the ballot is not necessary," he said.

He came to the conclusion after meeting with officials of UNAMET and the Commission for Peace and Stability (KPS) and Udayana Military Commander Maj. Gen. Adam Damiri.

"The ballot is expected to run well provided both the conflicting parties comply with the previous agreement on disarmament in the next two or three days," Marzuki said.

Marzuki quoted UNAMET officials as saying that it would take the mission one week to complete the vote count. UNAMET has decided to pool all the ballots in Dili for counting.

"The vote count will be conducted in a transparent manner before the observers," Marzuki said.

Violations

Meanwhile, the Committee for a Free and Fair Ballot, or the HAK Foundation, was the latest group to report a wave of violations on Tuesday.

Director of the Hak Foundation Aniceto Guterres said the popular consultation had been unfair since it began 100 days ago, because of the prointegration militias, the Indonesian Military (TNI) and the National Police (Polri).

Guterres said that despite attempts to improve security through peace agreements between pro and anti-independence groups over the past few weeks, the fate of East Timorese "is at a crossroad" due to a plan by the militias, backed by TNI and police, to sabotage the result of the ballot.

"The fundamental problem ... is the lack of sanctions against the perpetrators of violence and the support of and involvement of government officials, TNI and Polri personnel.

"Without firm action against them, the East Timorese will be forced to participate in a ballot which is not free and fair," she said.

The monitoring body urged the UN to take over security matters entrusted to the Indonesian government under the May 5 agreement and send a peacekeeping force to the territory. (33/amd/byg/rms)