World applauds Indonesia for peaceful East Timor ballot

JAKARTA (JP): Praise for the direct ballot in East Timor, in which 98 percent of registered East Timorese voters took part, continued to flow in on Tuesday, amid concerns over the death of a local United Nations worker.

Credit was given to the Indonesian military and police, who have been criticized in the wake of violence blamed on civilians freely carrying and using arms in the province.

However warnings were also raised to maintain order ahead of the announcement of the results on Sept. 7.

From the UN headquarters, news agencies quoted Secretary- General Kofi Annan as saying the voter turnout was "extraordinary".

"On the whole, polling proceeded smoothly, a testament to the determination and patience of the voters, despite some intimidation by militias outside some polling stations," Annan said in a statement.

Annan added that he learned "with great dismay and sorrow ... of the murder of Mr. Joel Lopez Gomes, an East Timorese staff member of UNAMET (the United Nations Mission in East Timor)."

"Despite this deplorable act of violence and other sporadic incidents, I wish to pay tribute to the efforts of the Indonesian authorities, and particularly of the police on polling day."

Alluding to Indonesia's continued responsibility for maintaining law and order, he said, as quoted by Reuters, the role of the security forces "will be even more important in the coming days as ballot boxes are transported to the central counting station and the count begins".

From Washington, Reuters reported the United States also hailed the turnout of the UN-administered vote.

But State Department spokesman James Foley deplored the killing of the UN worker and also referred to the next phase of counting the vote and the transition to either independence or autonomy within Indonesia.

"We remain concerned about the potential for violence," he said, adding, "In particular the government of Indonesia should prevent armed militia from resuming their activities."

In Jakarta, Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas said the ballot on the whole had been "just and fair", and "free, secure and smooth", but added he would check into reports of UNAMET officers violating their mandate.

In Canberra, Foreign Minister Alexander Downer paid tribute to UNAMET officials and Indonesian authorities.

"When the day came, the Indonesian police and the Indonesian Military did fulfill their responsibilities," he said.

Reuters quoted him as saying further, "There is going to be a continuing, rather difficult security environment and, depending on how the vote goes, there will be an increasing role for the United Nations."

Downer dismissed suggestions that East Timor could be partitioned for the two different sides, saying the only realistic solution to East Timor's problems was reconciliation.

"I don't think it is a serious threat. The international community clearly wouldn't see partition as a realistic solution at all," he said.

"The solution is for the winners to extend the hand of friendship and of nationhood to the losers and to embrace the losers in the process of government in East Timor," he said.

In Tokyo, Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi said, as quoted by AFP, "Regardless of the election and voting outcome, it is a foundation of democracy that people decide things on their own."

"People (in East Timor) dressed up to go to the polls and that reminded me of Cambodia," he said. "I was impressed by residents' earnest feelings toward the election."

Allegations of unfair conduct by UNAMET came from, among others, a youth group under the United Development Party (PPP).

Chairman of the Indonesian Development Youths Ali Taher Parasong said data from its eight-member team "show that the unfairness mostly occurred in Dili and polling stations in its vicinity." He said details were still being processed.

He cited reports of UNAMET officials observed working with members of proindependence groups and voters being persuaded against voting for the autonomy option.

"With our findings, we strongly believe that Monday's ballot has been rigged by UNAMET officials, even since the registration period," Ali said. (emf/anr)