Violence could endanger East Timor ballot: Alatas

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas warned on Wednesday that ongoing violence, intimidation and attacks by both proindependence and prointegration forces in East Timor could endanger the planned direct ballot in the province.

Speaking to reporters after meeting with President B.J. Habibie at Merdeka Palace, Alatas said security forces and police should step up their efforts to restore order and create a conducive atmosphere before and during the process of self- determination.

He emphasized that all parties should heed United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan's concern over security in the province, saying a delay of the ballot would tarnish Indonesia's image and interests.

"Security personnel are expected to take firm action and, when needed, arrest, investigate and bring to justice those people who provoke and violate the law ... ," Alatas said.

"As I have said a number of times in recent statements, there is still concern on the UN side and until now the situation has not been resolved," he said.

Alatas said Annan would assess the situation in East Timor before June 13, and if conditions were not considered suitable, the Aug. 8 ballot could be postponed.

"If he says it (the situation) is not conducive then all of our efforts will be useless and there will be a proposal to delay (the ballot)," he said.

Alatas said both prointegration and proindependence forces should be treated equally and receive the same protection from security forces.

Proindependence leaders, a number of who currently are in hiding, should receive adequate security to enable them to return to their homes and participate in the ballot process, he said.

He specifically mentioned the names of two proindependence leaders from the National Council of Resistance of East Timor, David Dias Ximenes and Leandro Ishac. He said Leandro was forced to seek police protection while David's whereabouts were unknown.

"Let them come out (of their hiding places), let them participate (in the ballot)," he said.

Alatas, however, dismissed allegations made by the UN team in East Timor, among others, that the Indonesian Military (TNI) was training militia groups in the territory.

He said TNI was currently training the People's Security Force (Kamra) and the People's Resistance Force (Wanra), not armed pro-Indonesia militias. He added that TNI was also training Kamra and Wanra in the country's 26 other provinces.

Alatas also said the United Nations' mission in East Timor would likely deploy up to 4,000 personnel, including 600 UN personnel, to organize the direct ballot in the province.

"If we include local staff, the number of personnel will likely reach 4,000," he said.

Under a UN-brokered agreement with Portugal, Indonesia agreed to hold the direct ballot on Aug. 8. However, Indonesia has proposed changing the date to Aug. 7, a Saturday, out of respect for East Timor's predominantly Catholic population.

Meanwhile, a member of the UN mission to East Timor, David Wimhurst, warned prointegration groups on Wednesday not to violate the campaign rules.

"We have made it very clear to them there can be no campaigning on the question of autonomy. We believe they have understood that message," Wimhurst said in Dili.

Separately, Amnesty International Australia warned on Wednesday that TNI was standing by and even supporting paramilitary activity, while the East Timorese were being forced to flee their homes.

"Minister of Defense and Security Gen. Wiranto denies that his forces support these violent militias and is continuing to ignore calls by the UN and Amnesty International for the paramilitary groups to be disbanded and disarmed," the organization said in a statement. (prb)