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Election uncertain for troublespots

Source
Agence France Presse - March 11, 1999

Jakarta – The Indonesian government is uncertain whether this year's landmark national election will be able to go ahead in East Timor or the troubled city of Ambon, a senior official said Thursday.

But Ryaas Rasyid, director general for public affairs and regional autonomy at the home affairs department, said authorities would do everything possible to make sure voting goes ahead on June 7.

The first election since the fall of Suharto as president last year will bring in a new assembly to choose a new president for a five-year term from January 1.

Ambon and East Timor have emerged as major problems though. Hundreds of people have been killed in the eastern city of Ambon since Moslem-Christian unrest erupted in mid-January and thousands have fled the region.

East Timor's future has been thrown into doubt by the Indonesian government's declaration it is ready to give independence to the former Portuguese colony.

Rasyid said "we have to stabilize the situation [in Ambon]" before the election can go ahead there.

He said the people of East Timor should hold an election for the national assembly but not for a local assembly as the government is preparing an offer of autonomy for the territory.

The government has said it is ready to consider independence for East Timor if the autonomy offer is rejected, as analysts consider likely.

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