Subject: AGE: Australian envoy warns of plan to
wreck Timor vote
Date: Sat, 15 May 1999 11:13:31 -0400
From: "John M. Miller" <fbp@igc.apc.org> Received from Joyo Indonesian
News:
The Age Monday 10 May 1999
Envoy warns of plan to wreck Timor vote
By LINDSAY MURDOCH
INDONESIA CORRESPONDENT DILI, SUNDAY
Australia's ambassador to Indonesia, Mr John McCarthy, said today he had seen evidence
of a conspiracy to wreck the United Nations-supervised ballot scheduled to be held in East
Timor on 8 August.
Asked whether he believed Indonesia's military intended to rig the ballot and pressure
people to vote to remain part of Indonesia, Mr McCarthy said: ``I have seen evidence that
could lead one along the lines of that sort of conclusion.''
The ambassador's warning came as East Timor's representative on Indonesia's Human
Rights Commission, Mr Florentino Sarmento, called for a delay of the ballot to decide the
former Portuguese colony's future. Mr Sarmento, in an interview with The Age, said
widespread terror and intimidation made it unlikely the ballot could be fair or the
results accepted by the warring groups.
Speaking at a news conference during a five-day visit to the territory, Mr McCarthy
stressed the importance of UN arrangements to supervise the ballot. ``It is very important
that Indonesia and the international community recognise the importance of this process,''
he said. ``I think it is workable but it's going to be very tough.''
Referring to the UN operation to be staged out of Darwin Mr McCarthy said: ``A lot has
to be done in a short time. There is not a huge UN contingent that is being talked about.
Feelings are running high in Timor. All that makes it difficult.''
Underlining the gravity of his words, anti-independence militiamen went on a rampage in
Dili today, killing at least one student and wounding several others, including a Japanese
journalist.
Human rights sources said Mr Antonio Fatima, 25, was shot dead when he and other
bystanders tried to help two Japanese journalists being attacked.
The foreign journalists, including Australians, ran for their lives when they were
stoned in Dili's central market.
Human rights groups and international aid agencies say there is overwhelming evidence
that the Indonesian security forces in East Timor have armed and backed militiamen who
have gone on rampages in Dili and rural East Timor towns, killing and wounding scores of
pro-independence supporters in recent weeks.
Mr McCarthy has talked with the top Indonesian military and police commanders in the
territory as well key pro-Jakarta militia leaders, several of whom have threatened to kill
Australians because of the Howard Government's declaration early this year that it would
support an independent East Timor if Timorese reject autonomy within Indonesia.
Mr Sarmento, a prominent and respected Timorese leader, said holding a vote in such a
short time would provoke widespread bloodshed from all the warring groups. ``I hope I am
wrong. But one side will lose the ballot and will not accept the result. I am afraid that
whoever loses will provoke violence,'' he said.
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