Sydney – East Timorese independence leader, Xanana Gusmao, today called for urgent United Nations intervention to stop Indonesian army and militia atrocities against innocent East Timorese civilians, and to prevent an old guard clique at the highest levels of Indonesian government from undermining the UN-brokered self-determination deal for East Timor.
In a message circulated to East Timorese groups around the world via the internet, Mr Gusmao, still under house arrest in Jakarta, urged all East Timorese everywhere to unite behind his call for an armed United Nations peacekeeping force to move into East Timor as a matter of urgency. "It is the only way to stop an escalation of the violence and the killing of defenceless civilians," Mr Gusmao said.
The world President of UDT (Timorese Democratic Union), Joao Carrascalao, immediately threw his weight behind Mr Gusmao's call. Speaking in Sydney, he pledged the support of UDT members both in East Timor and overseas. Mr Gusmao is President of the unifying political grouping, Timorese Council for Resistance (CNRT), and Commander in Chief of Falintil, the pro-independence fighters. In his message he told supporters that:
* Two groups, Klibur and the FPDK, which were purporting to promote dialogue in East Timor were fronts for Indonesian interests attempting to undermine the act of self-determination Indonesia had agreed to at the UN.
- Three of 10 Indonesian generals had said told Klibur they would go to war against East Timor if the people voted for independence in a UN-supervised act of self-determinatione.
- Indonesia has allocated massive funds to support the anti-independence campaign in East Timor.
Mr Gusmao, who has already committed Falintil to a unilateral ceasefire to prevent an internecine war in East Timor, proposed that an armed United Nations force move in, the Indonesian army withdraw in full, and that East Timorese groups be disarmed and dismantled under UN auspices, simultaneously with the Indonesian withdrawal.
"Unless the militias are immediately disarmed and dismantled, the peace process, reconciliation and diplomatic negotiations on the future of East Timor cannot be effective or long lasting," Mr Gusmao said. He also called for the establishment of a committee for peace and stability immediately to liaise with the United Nations and give confidence to East Timorese about their future.
Mr Gusmao said his information was that right now, the Klibur group, backed by the East Timorese puppet governor, Abilio Soares, is spending 16-billion rupiahs to support the pro-Indonesian militias which are torturing and murdering East Timorese to force people to support the pro-integrationist side.
This money was transferred to them by the Foreign Ministry. In addition, a further 100-billion rupiahs has been added to the East Timor budget for Governor Soares and the army to spend on preventing East Timor gaining independence.
Mr Gusmao warned East Timorese against Klibur and the Forum for Democracy and Justice in East Timor (FPDK). He said Klibur was formed in February by Gil Alves, Basilio Araujo and Ma'Hodo.
He said while both groups were claiming to represent ordinary East Timorese and wishing to promote dialogue between the pro-integrationist and pro-indendence camps, he saw them as Indonesian front organizations. Both were arguing against United Nations intervention in East Timor. Both had attempted to gain his support and he had rejected them, Mr Gusmao said. Mr Carrascalao said in Sydney today that UDT would fully support Mr Gusmao.
"We have been calling all along for armed United Nations peacekeepers to prevent bloodshed in East Timor. Some people have pooh-poohed us. Now Xanana Gusmao is calling for armed peacekeepers. We hope and pray the UN and interested governments will take notice of him," Mr Carrascalao said. "As one who has been intimately involved in every round of the United Nations negotiations, I know exactly what was agreed to, and the spirit of that agreement.
"It is clear that the corrupt Soeharto clique in Jakarta still has enormous power. It includes Ali Alatas, the Foreign Minister, and a lot of top people in the army. It is using East Timor to try to topple President Habibie and to protect the corrupt power bases and bank accounts of its members.
"I will be appealing personally to the Australian and Portuguese Governments and to the office of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, for action on Mr Gusmao's call.
"If something is not done urgently – God help East Timor. Everyone who does not act will have blood on their hands."