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President Gusmao pushes UN for continued presence

Source
Lusa - January 24, 2006

Washington – East Timor needs a continued United Nations presence after the scheduled pullout of the UNOTIL mission in May, particularly to prepare for elections and train police to prevent border tensions with Indonesia, President Xanana Gusmao has told the UN Security Council.

Addressing the Council Monday in New York, which had met to discuss a report by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan on Timor, Gusmao pressed for a continued UN presence in his country after the May 20 withdrawal of the 45-member UN office in Timor.

He urged the Council to consider the creation of a special political bureau to assist police training and preparations for general elections next year.

"Taking into account elections in 2007 and the need to guarantee sustained dialogue and cooperation between Timorese and Indonesian security forces to prevent border tensions and conflict, we think the deployment of 15 to 20 officials with military connections in the framework of a Special Political Office would be of crucial importance".

The Timorese leader also told the Council that Dili and Jakarta have reached accord on delineation of 99% of their common land borders and the remaining areas will be agreed upon in coming weeks.

He also briefed UN diplomats on the contents of a report describing atrocities committed by Indonesian security forces during Jakarta's 24-year occupation of his country.

The 2,500-page report from Timor's Commission for Reception, Truth and Reconciliation (CAVR) claims that between 84,000 and 183,000 Timorese were either killed or starved to death during Jakarta's brutal rule of Timor from 1975 to 1999.

Widespread rape and torture were also carried out by occupying Indonesian forces, the internationally funded document alleges.

While acknowledging the accuracy of the CAVR report, Timorese leaders have urged a healing of wounds with Jakarta and a focus on building good relations between the two neighboring states.

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