UN human rights chief to visit E. Timor

UN human rights chief to visit E. Timor

JAKARTA (JP): The United Nations High Commissioner on Human
Rights (UNCHR), Jose Ayala Lasso, arrives here Dec. 4 for a five-
day visit which will include meetings with senior government
officials and a tour to the troubled province of East Timor.

A foreign ministry statement said Ambassador Lasso would hold
discussions with the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ali Alatas,
other Indonesian ministers and high-ranking officials and
pertinent non-governmental organizations "on matters relating to
the promotion and protection of human rights."

Lasso, who has been critical of the Indonesian government in
past reports on East Timor, was invited to Indonesia by the
government to personally observe efforts to promote and protect
human rights in that region.

His visit comes three months prior to the UNCHR annual session
in Geneva.

A Portuguese colony until 1975, East Timor integrated into
Indonesia the following year. The United Nations, however, does
not recognize Indonesia's rule over the territory.

Under the guidance of the UN Secretary General, Jakarta and
Lisbon are involved in on-going discussions to find an
internationally acceptable solution to the East Timor problem.

In the past month Jakarta has witnessed a wave of Timorese
scaling foreign embassies' walls in a bid to gain political
asylum. Nearly three dozen asylum seekers are now in Lisbon.

The foreign ministry said Indonesian officials would also talk
with Lasso about the follow-up of the Declaration and Program of
Action which was adopted during 1993's World Conference on Human
Rights.

"In relation to the Declaration, Indonesia is a forerunner in
formulating a national plan of action on human rights," the
foreign ministry said.

Lasso's trip here is part of a wider regional tour which
includes Cambodia and Bangladesh.(mds)