Dili – Leaders of warring factions in the troubled Indonesian territory of East Timor on Wednesday signed a peace pact witnessed by Indonesia's military chief and East Timor's two bishops.
In the document, signed at the residence of Dili Bishop Carlos Ximenes Felipe Belo, the groups pledged to "stop hatred, intimidation, and terror and try to help create peace."
They also pledged to help the government of Indonesia, the national Commission on Human Rights and the Roman Catholic church in promoting the respect of human rights and law in East Timor.
Signing the document from the pro-Indonesian camp were Domingos Soares who heads the Forum for Democracy and Justice, and Joao Tavares, the commander of the militia force. The pro-Independence camp was represented by Leandro Isaac, coordinator of the National Resistance Council of East Timor (CNRT).
Also signing the document were Jakarta-appointed East Timor Governor Jose Osorio Abilio Soares, East Timor military commander Colonel Tono Suratman, East Timor police chief Colonel Timbul Silaen and a member of the National Commission on Human Rights, Joko Sugianto.
Indonesian Armed Forces Chief General Wiranto and bishops Belo and Basilio do Nascimento also put their signature on the document.
"I think this is a peace agreement and not a ceasefire ... the main content of the document is stopping the violence," a leader of the pro-Indonesian camp, Basilio Araujo, said.
By implication, the pact demanded the laying down of arms, Araujo told journalists after the signing ceremony which was attended by 100 local dignitaries.
The ceremony, held in an area where Belo usually celebrates mass at his residence, was loosely guarded by a few soldiers and members of the military police.
It was not clear whether jailed rebel leader and CNRT president Xanana Gusmao, currently under house arrest in Jakarta, would also be asked to sign the document.
[On April 20 the Lusa news service reported that The United Nations Security Council debated the question of East Timor for the first time since April 1976. The report also said that Portuguese Foreign Minister, Jaime Gama, has reiterated appeals for an "effective United Nations presence in East Timor, not only to stabilize the situation but also to prepare for the democratic process in the territory" - James Balowski.]