Prapan Chankaew, Dili – Indonesian ministers insisted during a visit to East Timor on Saturday that Jakarta could ensure security despite attacks on UN staff and fears of chaos after an August 30 independence ballot.
"We can keep the peace, we should keep the peace, because the Indonesian government is ... committed to have a peaceful solution and an actual solution to East Timor," Foreign Minister Ali Alatas told a news conference in Dili.
"We have no interest in having after the vote a situation that deteriorates into violence again."
Alatas and armed forces chief General Wiranto were in a team of 13 ministers who visited the former Portuguese colony for meetings with UN and Indonesian officials.
The United Nations is supervising East Timor's independence referendum, which has been delayed twice due to concerns over violence perpetrated by pro-Jakarta militias widely believed to be supported by the Indonesian military.
Pro-independence activists say Indonesia is deliberately sowing unrest in the territory and could try to fuel chaos if East Timor votes to break away from Indonesia. Militias who support Jakarta's rule have been behind a campaign of intimidation and violence this year in which scores of people have died, and have carried out several attacks on UN staff and property.
Two fresh attacks on UN staff came on Thursday. In one incident, dozens of armed pro-Jakarta militiamen forced their way into a voter registration post and attacked two staff, although no injuries were reported, the UN says. In a separate attack, a group of men hurled rocks and chunks of concrete at UN staff, injuring a UN police officer.
Concerns have been growing that if the vote goes against Indonesia, the militias may provoke further violence.
Ian Martin, head of the UN mission in East Timor, denied reports that the world body would simply abandon the territory after the election.
"The United Nations has no intention of abandoning East Timor. The agreement says we're here to stay after the balloting. That's our intention," he said.
Wiranto said both sides in East Timor should disarm. "Whatever the result is ... we hope to see peace maintained in East Timor. And this entirely depends on both sides," he said. "That's why it is important to lay down weapons."
He dismissed allegations the military was actively supporting pro-Jakarta militias. "It is clear that security officers will always try to promote peace before, during and after the referendum," he said.