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Militias step-up campaign of terror

Source
Sydney Morning Herald - September 5, 1999

Lindsay Murdoch, Dili – East Timorese have voted overwhelmingly to end Indonesia's rule of their territory and become one of the world's newest, and smallest, independent countries. But violent pro-Indonesia militias gave the pro-independence majority little chance to celebrate.

Within hours of the United Nations announcement of results of last Monday's independence vote, the militias were back on the streets of Dili, opening fire near the local UN compound and on a hotel housing foreigners, including journalists. By mid-afternoon, smoke was rising from several burning houses in a pro-independence neighborhood.

UN sources said staff had to be evacuated from the towns of Los Palos and Same, where anti-independence mobs roamed through the streets, firing guns. An American citizen, a civilian police adviser, was shot in the stomach in Liquica, 30 kilometres west of Dili.

While the result of the ballot was greeted with applause around the world, there was deep concern the former Portuguese colony could be plunged into full-scale civil war.

Thousands of people have fled the capital for the surrounding hills, fearing a major outbreak of violence, and thousands swamped police stations in Dili seeking a way out.

In a humiliating defeat for Indonesia, 78.5 per cent of the 438,968 eligible voters rejected an offer of broad autonomy despite months of terror and intimidation by pro-integration militia. Almost 99 per cent of those registered voted.

In Canberra, the Foreign Minister, Mr Alexander Downer, revealed that Australia is lobbying the UN and Indonesia to accept a swift deployment of international troops to stop the spiral of violence. If necessary, armed Australian troops could be in East Timor within days as part of an international security force. "Australia will stand by the people of East Timor at this time," he said. "We won't let East Timor down, we will do all we can to help them move towards independence."

Although the voters rejected Jakarta's autonomy, independence is still some way off. The transfer of power will only formally be complete when Indonesia's top law-making body meets in October and repeals the 1976 law that turned the former colony into Indonesia's 27th province.

Many Indonesian politicians, including the country's possible next president, Ms Megawati Sukarnoputri, are unhappy with the prospect of independence, even though leaders of the main parties have undertaken to respect the decision.

Most unhappy is the military, worried that independence in East Timor will encourage rebel movements elsewhere in the troubled archipelago of 17,000 islands.

In Jakarta, President B.J. Habibie, who in January reversed his predecessor's policy and offered East Timor independence, promised to honor his commitment and called for calm. But observers in East Timor said the well-armed militias were likely to seek revenge and continue their bid to try to partition the province unless a strong counter-force prevailed.

American ambassador Stapleton Roy, who late today met President Habibie to discuss the deteriorating situation, said: "We were discussing the situation in East Timor and looking for ways that we can ... ensure we have a satisfactory situation there."

Earlier, pro-independence leader Jose "Xanana" Gusmao warned of "total destruction" in a statement that hailed the result of the vote as a vindication of years of struggle. The jailed guerrilla chief, the man expected to become the new state's first leader, said he feared a new wave of bloodshed and chaos.

"We foresee a new genocide ... We foresee total destruction in a desperate and last attempt by the Indonesian generals and politicians maybe as well to deny the people of East Timor their freedom. I call on the international community to save the [East Timorese] people with the immediate dispatch of an international force."

The result of the vote will increase pressure on countries like Australia, New Zealand and the United States to send in armed peacekeepers. Thousands of Australian troops are already on a heightened state of readiness in Darwin.

Organising soldiers under a UN flag would take at least three months, and under UN-brokered agreements, Indonesia is in charge of security until its parliament rescinds the annexation of East Timor.

However, Australia has spoken about a "coalition of the willing" – countries who would form a force quickly and then ask the UN Security Council for approval.

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