UN to decide on date of East Timor ballot next week

JAKARTA (JP): United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan will set the exact date of the autonomy ballot in East Timor next week after studying the situation in the province, his special envoy, Jamsheed Marker, said Wednesday, Antara reported from Canberra.

The UN thus expects Indonesia's security authorities to improve security in East Timor immediately, Marker said.

"Indonesia's security officers should continuously improve the security in East Timor if the registration (for the ballot) is to start on Tuesday," he said.

Marker was in Australia following his visits to Jakarta and East Timor. He was to hold talks with officials regarding preparations for the ballot scheduled to take place in August.

From Washington, Reuters reported that Assistant Secretary of State Stanley Roth was due to leave for Jakarta on Friday for high-level talks, out of concern of the reported violence in East Timor and delayed announcement of the national poll results.

"We continue to call on the Indonesian government to meet its responsibilities, to ensure that the militias are brought under control and that threats to the UN cease and that threats to the integrity of the vote cease as well," State Department deputy spokesman James Foley said.

On Wednesday, head of the Dili-based United Nations Mission in East Timor (UNAMET) Ian Martin met with Minister of Defense and Security/Indonesian Military Commander Gen. Wiranto and chief of National Police Gen. Roesmanhadi to request assurances on the safety of the mission, particularly from threats of the prointegration militia.

Wiranto said 1,200 police will be deployed to East Timor while around 1,000 soldiers would be withdrawn from the province.

On Thursday at least 15 UN military advisers arrived in Dili as part of UN personnel advising security matters ahead of the ballot.

The prointegration Forum for Unity, Peace and Justice (FPDK) threatened to boycott the direct ballot if UNAMET remained biased. Citing the latest incident in Liquica regency on Sunday, when a humanitarian mission involving UNAMET and non-government groups was attacked, FPDK said UNAMET had no right to conduct a humanitarian activities, which the mission denied.

Martin reported to Wiranto recent attacks on UNAMET staff and posts including the one on Sunday.

Based on an agreement between Indonesia, Portugal and the UN, the UN is overseeing a vote planned for the third week of August, a delay from the original plan of Aug.8.

East Timorese will choose whether to accept or reject autonomy under Indonesia.

Antara reported Marker also pointed out that the decision to maintain the UNAMET in East Timor was made to study the response of the members of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) to the ballot results.

He added that the outcome of his visit to Indonesia would be immediately evaluated and reported to the UN secretary-general, who will decide if the ballot is to be held on Aug. 21 or Aug. 22.

Reuters also reported that a team of ministers plan to visit East Timor on Monday to look into the mounting violence.

Quoting an unnamed government official, it said Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas, Coordinating Minister for Political Affairs Feisal Tanjung, Minister of Justice Muladi, Minister of Home Affairs Syarwan Hamid and Gen. Wiranto would fly to East Timor on Monday morning for a day trip.

Muslim leader Abdurrahman Wahid also said he would visit East Timor soon "to help achieve reconciliation."

"My plan to go to East Timor has been agreed to by (Dili) Bishop (Carlos Filipe Ximenes) Belo," Abdurrahman said, adding that jailed proindependence fighter Jose Alexandre "Xanana" Gusmao had also agreed to the trip.

He had reported his plan to President B.J. Habibie during a visit to the latter's house on Thursday.

Minister Muladi responded on Thursday a suggestion made on Wednesday by the National Mandate Party (PAN) that Xanana be released to help ensure security ahead of the planned ballot.

"I don't think he needs to be released before the direct ballot for the sake of mutual interest or for his own interest," Muladi said.

Whatever the result of the ballot, Xanana would be released after the ballot took place, Muladi said.

The situation in East Timor is still unpredictable, Muladi said, and that authorities refused to take any risks.

"Even the United Nations (mission in East Timor) was (attacked)," Muladi said, and the possibility of a risk would be larger for exiled proindependence campaigner Jose Ramos-Horta and any other person.

PAN's head of its international division Bara Hasibuan said on Thursday that Xanana, who presides the National Resistance Council for an Independent East Timor (CNRT), has the "moral authority" to help ensure peace in the province.

The latest incident of violence took place on Tuesday, when a wife of a soldier was kidnapped by 20 members of the armed wing of CNRT, Falintil, police said on Wednesday. The incident took place in Watulia village in the Venilale district of Baucau, about 180 kilometers east of Dili.

Dili Police spokesman Capt. Widodo said police received a report from the children of the woman, identified as Marlinda.

From Dili, UNAMET spokesman Yashuhiro Ueki said Thursday that about 40 ballot boxes had arrived from Darwin in Australia.

Japan, he said, has also sent 2,000 radios for East Timorese but distribution of the radios, aimed to help people gain information on the ballot, has not been decided. (anr/33)