Lisbon – The chief international spokesman for the East Timorese resistance charged Tuesday that former Indonesian President Suharto, a military commander and the foreign ministry were secretly funding much of the recent violence in the territory.

Jose Ramos Horta, a Nobel Peace laureate, told a Portuguese parliamentary commission that Suharto, "who has a lot of money," was primarily responsible for the current "destabilization campaign" carried out by anti-independence militias.

He said funding for the paramilitary groups was being channeled through the military commander of the Bali region, Gen. Simbolon, of which East Timor is a part.

Gen. Simbolon was "the person directly involved in the manipulation, and delivery of money and arms" to the militias, Ramos Horta said.

He also accused the Indonesian foreign ministry of having "given money" to the militias, citing a recent meeting at a Dili hotel between Indonesian diplomat Joao Tavares and paramilitary chiefs.