Subject: Carter Center: Weekly Report on East Timor,
No. 1 July 11 - 17, 1999
Date: Sat, 24 Jul 1999 12:23:44 -0400
From: "John M. Miller" <fbp@igc.apc.org>[scanned from fax]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Tuesday, July 20, 1999
Contact: In Atlanta, Deanna Congileo 404-420-5108
In Dili, Brent Preston or Gillian Flies 62 390 313 777
Carter Center Weekly Report on East Timor, No. 1 July 11 - 17.1999
Large Turnout far Registration despite Continuing Security Concerns
(Background: Former U.S, President Jimmy Carter and The Carter Center are closely
monitoring the public consultation process on autonomy in East Timor. The Center opened an
office with two observers in Dili on July 4, They will be joined next week by eight
long-term observers, who will travel throughout East Timor to assess preparations for the
vote, the security environment, and the fairness of the campaign, while remaining strictly
neutral and nonpartisan. The following is the first of a series of weekly reports to be
issued by The Carter Center observer mission before and after the consultation).
Dili, East Timor.... The past week saw a significant decrease in the level of
intimidation and violence directed at personnel of the United Nations Mission in East
Timor (UNAMET) who are supervising the upcoming popular consultation. However, the
security situation for the people of East Timor does not seem to have improved
significantly.
Initial reports on voter registration, which began on July 16, indicate potential
voters flooded registration centers all across East Timor during the first few days of
voter registration. The Carter Center is greatly encouraged by the opening of registration
and the high turnout so far. Clearly, the large majority of the people of East Timor are
committed to participating in a peaceful. fair and democratic consultation.
However. this commitment is being severely tested by an atmosphere of violence,
intimidation, and insecurity that continues to pervade most areas of East Timor.
Information gathered in direct interviews during field visits by Carter Center observers
and from other independent reports from all parts of East Timor, indicate that
pro-integration militias in many areas are threatening to harm or kill those who do not
vote for autonomy. Similar reports indicate that the militias also are largely responsible
for creating tens of thousands of internally displaced persons and preventing them from
returning to their homes to participate in the consultation.
This report is based on field visits to Liquica and Ermera districts during the past
several days, including observation of the opening of registration, and on meetings in
Jakarta and Dili with senior Indonesian Government, military and police officials; members
of the Indonesian Government Task Force for the Implementation of the Popular
Consultation; the Commission for Peace and Stability; Timorese non-governmental
organizations; UNAMET officials; representatives of international organizations;
diplomats: members of pro-autonomy groups (which favor integration into Indonesia); and
members of pro-independence groups.
The Carter Center is particularly concerned about the following problems, which must be
addressed to ensure that conditions established by the May 5 New York Agreements for the
popular consultation are met:
* Intimidation of Voters. While all sides must accept some
responsibility for the hostile climate that now prevails. our interviews and other
independent reports indicate that responsibility for the large majority of incidents of
intimidation and violence lies with pro-integration militias. These groups are subjecting
potential voters to an intense and systematic campaign of intimidation in an attempt to
influence the outcome of the consultation. Individuals interviewed by The Carter Center
observers spoke uniformly about widespread harassment and intimidation by the militia, and
described similar incidents of militia visiting people at their homes at night and
threatening violence after the poll if autonomy is rejected. Similar reports from other
independent groups indicate such incidents are occurring throughout East Timor.
According to paragraph I of the Security Agreement. the appropriate Indonesian security
forces are responsible for ensuring a secure environment devoid of violence and
intimidation. In addition, paragraph 4 provides that the Indonesian police are solely
responsible for the maintenance of law and order during the consultation process.
Unfortunately, there is little evidence that the Indonesian Police have been successful in
improving the security situation. For the conditions of the New York Agreements to be
fulfilled, the activities of violent militia groups must be curtailed.
* Internally Displaced Persons. The United Nations High Commissioner
for Refugees has documented the existence of more than 32,000 internally displaced persons
in East Timor, most of whom report having been driven from their homes in the past six
months by pro-integration militias as a direct result of their presumed political beliefs.
It appears little is being done to facilitate their safe return to their homes. Some
militia leaders have openly stated that they will not permit internally displaced persons
to return home until after the completion of the consultation.
For internally displaced persons to be able to participate in the consultation as
provided in the New York Agreements, it is essential that adequate security conditions
exist for all of them to return to their homes immediately and to ensure that no others
are driven from their home by violence and intimidation.
* Active Campaign for Autonomy. According to many credible observers,
elements of the Indonesian Government and military continue to campaign for the autonomy
option in violation of the New York Agreements. One senior army leader in Dili admitted
that the military is actively promoting the autonomy package and distributing food and
services to people to encourage votes for autonomy.
Such practices are in violation of paragraph 1 of the Security Agreement which
establishes that the absolute neutrality of the Indonesian armed forces and the Indonesian
police is essential. Similarly, the "Agreement on Modalities for the Popular
Consultation" provides that officials of the Indonesian Government will not
participate in the campaign in support for either option. It is imperative that all sides
abide by these commitments
* Need for Redeployment. Although senior military commanders indicated
to Carter Center observers that all military forces in East Timor will be confined to
their barracks in advance of the consultation, no timetable for this redeployment has been
established and military units continue to operate throughout the territory. To improve
the current climate of fear, a timetable for completion of the redeployment of the
Indonesia military should be established and implemented.
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