Subject: RT: U.N. chief refuses to set date for East
Timor vote
Date: Sun, 01 Aug 1999 11:17:20 -0400
From: "John M. Miller" <fbp@igc.apc.org>Tuesday July 27, 12:47 am
Eastern Time
U.N. chief refuses to set date for East Timor vote
By Evelyn Leopold
UNITED NATIONS, July 27 (Reuters) - Secretary-General Kofi Annan said voter
registration could continue in East Timor but sporadic violence still prevented him from
making a final decision on holding a ballot on the territory's future.
The United Nations is responsible for organizing a vote that may be held on Aug. 21 or
22 in the former Portuguese colony, which was invaded by Indonesia in 1975. East Timorese
can choose between independence or autonomy within Indonesia.
Diplomats said Annan might delay the vote to a later date in August because of security
concerns and logistic considerations but he had not yet made a decision.
In a letter to the Security Council late on Monday, Annan said security conditions had
improved but intimidation was still prevalent, mainly by a militia opposed to
independence.
``I therefore intend to continue registration on the understanding that Indonesian
authorities will work with the U.N. Mission in East Timor (UNAMET) to achieve the further
necessary improvements in the security situation and urgently address the problem of
internal displacement,'' he wrote.
He said the completion of registration and the election process ``will depend on my
being satisfied that these improvements are achieved and sustained.''
Security conditions required for ``a largely technical exercise such as registration
are notably less stringent than those which will be necessary for campaigning in the
run-up to the consultation (balloting),'' he said.
Annan has delayed the vote once before and started voter registration three days late.
He said 10 days ago he would give the council notice midway through the registration
process whether it should continue -- the purpose of his letter.
Violence has escalated since Indonesian President B.J. Habibie said in January that he
would let East Timor go if voters rejected autonomy. Indonesia's annexation of the
territory has not been recognized by the international community.
Many people have been driven from their homes or have fled to avoid intimidation by the
militia. Some observers estimate as many as 60,000 people are displaced. There are 400,000
eligible voters in the territory.
In his letter, Annan said a serious consequence of the inadequate security situation
was ``the continuing inability of tens of thousands of internally displaced people to
return to their homes in safety.''
He said the largest number of displaced people were from areas controlled by the
pro-Jakarta militia.
Annan said U.N. staff members and local authorities were cooperating in allowing the
displaced to return home and register to vote ``but further action to bring armed groups
under control is essential.''
He said 200 registration centers throughout East Timor had opened, with only sporadic
security problems. In the first 10 days, 239,893 East Timorese have registered, 233,716 of
them in East Timor itself and the remainder at centers abroad. Annan said there was
``greater cooperation now being shown by the Indonesian authorities, in particular the
police, with their UNAMET counterparts.''
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