Subject: update: Huge turnout as E.Timorese flock in
peace to polls
Date: Sun, 29 Aug 1999 23:31:26 EDT
From: Joyo@aol.com also: Thousands of East Timorese flock to polling stations
10.13 p.m. U.S. ET (216 GMT) August 29, 1999
Heavy Early Turnout In East Timor Ballot, Says UN
DILI, East Timor — The United Nations said half of East Timor's voters had turned
up to vote in the first hours of polling Monday in a ballot that is expected to set the
bloodied territory on the path to independence.
The United Nations, which is organizing the historic ballot, said in a statement that
by 10 a.m. 50 percent of all registered voters had turned up at the more than 800 polling
stations.
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Thousands of East Timorese flock to polling stations
Source: AFP | Published: Monday August 30 10:35:36 AM
DILI, East Timor, Aug 30 - Huge crowds of East Timorese defied militia intimidation by
descending on polling stations at dawn today to vote on whether to remain part of
Indonesia.
The polls opened on time at 6.30am (0830 AEST) in most of the 850 polling stations
territory-wide, witnesses said.
In Dili's Kuluhun area, some 250 people were waiting in line when the first voter, a
frail 66-year-old lady supported by two family members, entered polling station number 25
to cast the first ballot.
Barefoot, with bandages on her arm, she said she had been injured during an attack by
pro-Indonesian militia in the area on Thursday in which six people died.
"I'm number one. I am not afraid to come. But I came early because I want to go
home because I am sick."
Twenty-four assistants trained by the UN Mission in East Timor (UNAMET) were on hand to
assist the voters. Observers watched as the blue ballot boxes were sealed.
Each voter's finger was marked with invisible ink, detectable by a special ultra-violet
lamp. The use of the invisible ink was aimed at preventing militia members from
identifying who had voted.
At a school in the inner Dili suburb of Bemori, where some 300 people were in line at
the crack of dawn to vote, UNAMET spokesman Hiro Ueki called the turnout 'remarkable.'
"I think people are really determined to vote today, and I'm really glad to see so
many people despite so many acts of intimidation. This is remarkable," Ueki said.
UNAMET chief Ian Martin expressed optimism.
"I have no reports of violent incidents or any of our polling stations being
unable to open so far and I do have some encouraging reports of large lines of
voters," he told the BBC.
The chief of the Portuguese observer mission Jose Julia Pereira Gomes, added: "It
is magnificent ... if it goes like this it will be a huge success."
It took two to three minutes for each voter, and by 15 minutes after the polls opened
more than 400 people were lined up at polling station number 25.
As the sun rose, they held their registration papers over their heads, to protect
themselves. The mood in the crowd was serious.
There was no sign of any special security, save for a Ghanaian civilian UN policeman
and three Indonesian police sitting on metal chairs.
In the streets of the city hundreds of people could be seen walking towards polling
stations, ballot papers in their hands.
The centres were scheduled to close at 4pm (1800 AEST), with the option to remain open
if more people were still waiting.
UNAMET has said that voting in areas where security deteriorates so badly that centres
are forced to shut will be extended at least for another day.
The choice before the 438,000 voters of this devoutly-Catholic former Portuguese colony
is whether to accept or reject an offer of autonomy under the Indonesian flag.
But the words: "Do you accept the proposed special autonomy for East Timor within
the Unitary state of Indonesia" are a simple camouflage for you can have independence
if you want.
After almost 24 years of harsh military occupation, and some 200,000 dead, the vote is
widely expected to go in favour of independence, despite widespread pro-Indonesia militia
intimidation of voters that has forced two postponements of the vote.
"I already know the people will vote for independence. We have struggled for 24
years for this. I think 95 per cent of the people of Dili will vote for freedom,"
said Juliao Mausiry, a voter in Kuluhun.
UNAMET, in charge of conducting the poll, officially known as a 'popular consultation,'
is also polling several thousand East Timorese abroad, many of them in Indonesia, bringing
the total number of voters to 451,000.
Agreement for the vote was reached on May 5 this year in New York, between Portugal
which ruled East Timor for 400 years and Indonesia, which invaded the small territory in
1975.
As a part of the agreement, which left security for the ballot in the hands of the
Indonesian police, Jakarta said it would let East Timor have independence if its people
rejected autonomy.
Hundreds of pro-independence supporters and their family members have been killed since
January when Indonesian President BJ Habibie announced he was considering letting go of
East Timor.
Habibie succeeded former Indonesian president Suharto who ordered the 1975 invasion.
The harshness of the occupation of East Timor and the annexation of the territory in
1976 - never recognised by the United Nations - did much damage to Indonesia's reputation.
Jakarta has pledged to pull out its military within three to six months if the vote
goes against them.
-----------------
Reuters 9.27 p.m. ET (130 GMT) August 29, 1999
E.Timorese Flock In Peace To Independence Ballot
DILI, East Timor — Hundreds of thousands of East Timorese defied threats of
violence to flock to polling stations Monday for a U.N.-run ballot expected to set their
bloodied territory on the path to independence.
Security was tight across East Timor amid fears of attacks by pro-Jakarta militias
which have killed hundreds this year in a bid to keep the former Portuguese colony within
Indonesia.
The result of the vote — the first time East Timorese have been allowed to choose
their own future since Indonesia's invasion in 1975 — is expected within the week.
There were no early reports of violence and international observers said they were
optimistic.
"It seems orderly and peaceful,'' U.S. ambassador to Indonesia Stapleton Roy told
Reuters at a polling booth in the territory's capital, Dili, where hundreds of people
queued to cast their votes. Some were dressed in their Sunday best.
Some voters camped outside polling stations overnight to ensure loyalist militias could
not stop them turning up to vote when polling stations opened at 6.30 a.m. (2230 GMT
Sunday).
"I am very happy, but scared,'' said one man. "This is a proud day for East
Timor. This is our right. We have waited a long time for this day.
"Scared or dead, it's our choice to choose.''
The streets of Dili were peaceful early Monday, filled with people streaming to polling
booths.
Pro-independence leader Xanana Gusmao, under house arrest in Jakarta, ordered his
followers to avoid violence and urged all East Timorese to vote.
"Let us vote, let us all vote,'' he said in a statement. ''Let us not be afraid.
East Timor depends on the courage and conviction we demonstrate today.
"This day marks once and for all times the end of our long suffering and today,
too, we affirm our sovereignty as a people.''
More than 450,000 East Timorese are voting in the territory and around the world to
choose between independence or autonomy within Indonesia, whose often brutal 23-year rule
has never been internationally recognized.
Voters' fingers are marked with invisible ink which can be seen only under a special
light to ensure they cannot vote twice and also so that no one else will know if they have
voted.
The result is widely expected to favor independence for the former Portuguese colony.
In a nationally televised address Sunday, Indonesian President B.J. Habibie appealed to
East Timorese to stay with Indonesia.
"To all our brothers in East Timor, I want to call on them to remain united (with
Indonesia) and to build a brighter future together with the rest of the Indonesian
family,'' he said.
"All Indonesians pray to God our East Timorese brothers are given the direction to
choose the right way, so together with brothers from other provinces they can continue
implementing development.''
The ballot result must still be ratified by Indonesia's top legislative body, the
People's Consultative Assembly, which is due to convene in October.
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