Mark Riley, New York – The United Nations proposes sending a team of military advisers to East Timor in the face of continuing violence. The team would join a 280-strong UN police contingent ahead of the planned autonomy vote in August.

The move was flagged in New York on Monday in a strong report to the Security Council from the UN Secretary-General, Mr Kofi Annan, criticising the Indonesian Army for failing to crack down on the armed militias. "Truckloads of pro-integration militia are able to roam about freely in the towns and to set up checkpoints along the roads without any intervention from the army or the police," Mr Annan said in the report. He raised concerns about the safety of pro-independence leaders, most of whom have gone into hiding.

UN officials said later that Mr Annan would decide possibly by early next month whether it is safe enough for the UN-organised vote to go ahead. At this stage it intends to proceed, despite the violence and the tight time-frame.

The UN has accepted Australia's offer to include 50 Australian police in the East Timor contingent, along with an undetermined number of electoral advisers and administrative assistants.

Australia's military attachi at the UN, Colonel Gary Bornholt, said the police would have no enforcement powers but would help supervise the transport and security of ballot boxes to and from the polling sites. Mr Annan's report criticises Indonesia for not honouring repeated assurances to clamp down on political violence in the territory, and rejects Indonesian Government claims that the fighting has involved pro-independence as well as pro-integrationist militia.

"Credible reports continue to be received of political violence, including intimidation and killings, by armed militias against unarmed pro-independence civilians," he said.

"Furthermore, there are indications that the militias, believed by many observers to be operating with the acquiescence of elements of the army, have not only in recent weeks begun to attack pro-independence groups but are beginning to threaten moderate pro-integration supporters as well."

Mr Annan also said he was deeply concerned that the violence had prevented the new Commission on Peace and Stability from beginning its work.

The commission was created in the landmark agreement between Indonesia and Portugal on May 5 that established the framework for the ballot. It was intended to set a code of conduct for all parties and to oversee an agreement on the surrender of arms by the militia.

Mr Annan said the violence had forced all but one of the independence leaders on the commission into hiding.

UN officials said yesterday that the proposal to include a team of military advisers to the East Timorese mission would supply a first-hand reading of the army's relationship with the militia. They said the current level of liaison with the Indonesian Army was "zero".

Peter Cole-Adams writes: The Foreign Affairs Minister, Mr Downer, yesterday backed Mr Annan's sharp criticism. He said the Government shared Mr Annan's concerns about the security situation, and that the Indonesian military and police needed to do much more to bring paramilitaries under control. A spokesman for the minister said Australia had not been approached by the UN to provide military liaison officers, but would certainly consider such a request if it came.

Mr Downer said: "Indonesia's armed forces must act to restore security, bring those responsible for the violence and killings to account, and take action to create an environment in which the East Timorese can vote free from ... intimidation."