Violence could endanger East Timor ballot: Alatas

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)