U.S. urges Indonesia to disband militias attacking East Timor
U.S. urges Indonesia to disband militias attacking East Timor
UNITED NATIONS (AP): The United States, Britain and several
other UN Security Council members urged Indonesia on Tuesday to
keep its pledge to disarm militias and end the Indonesian Army's
alleged support for the militiamen.
In a briefing to the council, UN Assistant Secretary-General
Hedi Annabi claimed that members of the Indonesian armed forces
continue "to tolerate and even support" militias in West Timor
who have recently been testing the newly deployed UN peacekeeping
force.
Indonesian authorities gave the UN force commander assurances
as recently as March 10 that "stern action would be taken against
militia activity" and militia training, he said.
But the militias are still operating along the border between
West Timor and East Timor.
A UN peacekeeping force numbering 7,310 troops is currently
station in the territory.
The United Nations is running the territory during its
transition to independence after it rejected Indonesia's offer of
wide ranging autonomy in ballot last year.
Deputy U.S. Ambassador Nancy Soderberg said Washington is
"deeply disturbed" at reports of the Indonesian military's
continued support for pro-Jakarta militias and evidence that
Indonesian army members may be supplying them with arms.
"It is unacceptable and should be strongly condemned," she
said.
"We, the United States, and other members of the council have
repeatedly urged the Indonesian government to disarm and disband
the militia groups. We've been given assurances that these steps
would be taken - but we have yet to see decisive action taken."
The United States calls on the Indonesian government to
disband the militias, move their leaders away from Timor, end
military collaboration with the militias, and reassign Indonesian
army members from East Timor to other parts of the country,
Soderberg said.
Annabi said the UN mission in East Timor believes Indonesian
President Abdurrahman Wahid's government is determined to resolve
the militia problem. But there are military members "who continue
to stand in the way," he said.
Britain's UN Ambassador Jeremy Greenstock echoed the U.S.
call, saying the United Nations must be allowed to bring East
Timor to independence without attacks from militias.
Bangladeshi Ambassador Amwarul Chowdhury, the current council
president, said that closing refugee camps in West Timor, where
the militias operate, is a good way to start countering the
violence.
Annabi said the United Nations expects about half the 100,000
refugees still in camps in West Timor to return to East Timor,
with the rest resettling in Indonesia.