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.