U.S. warns Indonesia over East Timor violence

JAKARTA (JP): A visiting U.S. official warned Indonesia on Wednesday that its relations with the world community, including the U.S., would suffer if it failed to stop rampant violence in East Timor ahead of a self-determination ballot there in August.

Speaking to journalists after meeting with top government officials and jailed East Timorese rebel leader Jose Alexandre Xanana Gusmao, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia and Pacific Affairs Stanley Roth said he had asked Indonesian officials not to simply blame the UN for the problems there.

"If the opposite is the case and the agreement falls apart and it is viewed to be the failure of the government... that will obviously have consequences, too, in terms of Indonesia's reputation and the relationship between Indonesia and a number of countries around the world, including my own," said Roth.

Roth, scheduled to go to Dili on Thursday, also said: "I have been very candid in all my conversations with officials here to indicate that it is simply not acceptable to blame the United Nations for the problems."

The UN Security Council urged Indonesia on Monday to improve security in East Timor, while Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas complained to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan that the UN Mission in East Timor (UNAMET) was siding with pro-independence groups.

According to AP, the council also supported Annan's decision to delay the registration of eligible voters for three days to Friday, and his statement that he would not hold the UN- supervised ballot unless voters could be assured of casting ballots in safety.

"Members of the council called on the Indonesian authorities urgently to make concrete progress in improving the security situation in East Timor for the ballot to take place on time," said the council president, Agam Hasmy of Malaysia.

In a letter to Annan, released on Tuesday, Alatas said UN staff in East Timor were perceived as being partial to pro- independence campaigners and had allowed them to take refuge inside their compound.

Alatas reviewed several demonstrations and attacks against UNAMET personnel, the most serious being in Liquica on July 4 when pro-integration militia assaulted and fired shots at a UN aid convoy.

"Had UNAMET followed the advice of the Indonesian Task Force by securing permission of the competent local authorities and establishing cooperation and coordination with them, the unfortunate incident at Liquica would not have happened," Alatas said in the letter.

Alatas, however, also assured Annan that the government would not tolerate any violence and was determined to "bring the perpetrators to justice regardless of which group they belong to".

In Maliana, the capital of Bobonaro regency, police dispersed on Tuesday evening 10 pro-integration militiamen who were trying to break into the UN office in the town.

"It is a very good sign," UNAMET spokesman David Wimhurst said, praising police for their quick action.

From Washington, visiting Australian Prime Minister John Howard urged Indonesia to keep faith with its commitment for a fair ballot in East Timor.

"Our message to the Indonesian government is a very clear one: The world expects that (Indonesia's) armed forces will keep faith with Indonesia's commitment to allow a vote free of violence," Howard said.

Meanwhile, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reported on Wednesday an interview with an Australian citizen who claimed he had been fighting with armed pro-independence group Falintil.

"What drove me (to come) was the fact that these people have lost children and they are here suffering and the world has turned their back on them for so long and I felt like I had to do something," said the 26-year-old man, who identified himself as Anthony.

Meanwhile, leaders of warring factions in East Timor agreed to meet again this month to discuss the technicalities of disarmament of both pro-independence and pro-integration groups.

Djoko Sugianto, a member of the National Commission on Human Rights and also the Peace and Stability Commission (KPS), said on Wednesday the meeting would also be attended by UNAMET officials.

The KPS comprises pro- and anti-integration groups, the human rights commission, and senior government officials. Its first meeting took place on June 18.

"KPS will hold a plenary meeting, which will be attended by UNAMET to discuss the technical implementation of disarmament," said Djoko.(33/prb)