UNTAET, Portugal, RI call for E. Timor reconciliation

JAKARTA (JP): The UN Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET), Portugal and Indonesia called for on Tuesday the importance of a reconciliation among conflicting East Timorese factions prior the territory's declaration of independence.

Coordinating Minister for Political, Social and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said the idea for reconciliation should come from the East Timorese themselves and include those living outside the territory.

"Reconciliation should be held before East Timor declares its independence.

"But the initiative should be taken by all East Timorese people, including the 21 percent East Timorese who voted for the territory's integration with Indonesia in the 1999 ballot," Susilo said in a dialog on East Timor here on Tuesday.

He said the government would support efforts to uphold truth and justice in the territory, but they should be formulated and implemented by the East Timorese themselves and not by UNTAET, Indonesia or other third parties.

Anna Gomes, the Portuguese ambassador to Indonesia, concurred but said that reconciliation is not feasible if justice is not upheld, especially on serious crimes against humanity following last year's ballot.

"Portugal's main objective is to establish good ties with Indonesia and a good relationship is needed to help facilitate the reconciliation between the East Timorese and their leaders," she said.

N. Parameswaran, the UNTAET secretary-general, called on the East Timorese who are taking refuge in West Timor and other parts of Indonesia to return to their home villages in East Timor to participate in building their own nation.

"East Timor is open for all refugees who want to go back to their home country. Their active participation is needed to build an East Timor nation," he said.

He said UNTAET would guarantee the refugees' safety and their political rights if they go back to East Timor.

"UNTAET has reached an agreement with all East Timor factions, including CNRT and Fretilin, to receive the refugees without reservation," he said, adding that UNTAET would also issue a regulation on political parties, guaranteeing pro-Indonesia East Timorese's political rights.

He said UNTAET had decided to bring to court all perpetrators of serious crimes against humanity in several districts in September 1999, while minor crimes would be settled out of court.

"UNTAET's investigative unit is examining reports that a number of East Timorese were allegedly involved in a series of serious crimes against humanity after the ballot," he said.

He declined to give comments on the Indonesian House of Representatives' (DPR) rejection of the planned questioning of a number of military and police officers in relation to several serious crimes in East Timor after the ballot, saying: "It is an Indonesian internal matter."

He said the UN Security Council had agreed to extend UNTAET's assignment, which will expire on Dec. 31, 2000, for another year until the territory is ready for full independence.

He said that with all preparations being made by UNTAET, East Timor is set to declare its independence by the end of November 2001, or in December 2001, at the latest.

Dominggus Soares, chairman of the pro-Indonesia Uni Timor Aswain (UNTAS), however, questioned UNTAET's mission in East Timor, saying the territory's independence should be determined by the East Timorese and not by UNTAET.

"UNTAET will be driven out of the territory, a similar fate experienced by Portugal and Indonesia," he said.

He insisted that UNTAET should bring all factions representing the East Timorese to sit together in a peaceful bitibod (mat) so as to determine the territory's future.

Former foreign minister Ali Alatas declined to comment, but questioned the territory's status as stipulated in the Tripartite Agreement between Indonesia, Portugal and UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan in New York on May 5, 1999.

"Following the ballot that voted against East Timor's special autonomy, the territory should be returned to its previous condition as in 1974, when it was under a decolonization status," he said. (rms)