Indonesia agrees to allow peacekeepers into East
Timor
Flash: Indon
invites int'l peacekeepers to East Timor
Jubilation in Dili as
Indon agrees to peacekeeping force
Ramos-Horta & Gusmao Urge Quick
Action
TEXT U.N.'s Annan's statement on
East Timor
CNRT: Reaction to Habibie's statement
Subject: Flash:
Indon invites int'l peacekeepers to East Timor
Date: Sun, 12 Sep 1999 09:16:07 EDT
From: Joyo@aol.com
these are the first news flashes, more later...
Indonesia agrees to peacekeeper force
Australian Broadcasting Corp. Sun, Sep 12 1999 11:06 PM AEST - In an address to the nation
in Jakarta, Indonesia's President Habibie has just announced that he has invited
international forces to join his own military forces in East Timor.
He says he has instructed the United Nations secretary-general Kofi Annan to invite the
international forces to take part.
President Habibie made the statement after an urgent meeting with the Cabinet and
military leaders, including the Armed Forces chief General Wiranto.
The address was delayed after a lengthy telephone conversation between President
Habibie and Mr Annan.
General Wiranto, the Foreign Minister, Ali Alatas, and the Justice Minister were with
President Habibie during his talks with Mr Annan.
Indonesia agrees to peacekeepers in East Timor
JAKARTA, Sept 12 (AFP) - Indonesian President B.J. Habibie on Sunday caved in to intense
international pressure and agreed to accept an international peacekeeping force to East
Timor.
"I have taken the decision to inform the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan on the
preparedness of the Indonesian government to accept a UN peacekeeping force," Habibie
said.
Subject: TEXT U.N.'s
Annan's statement on East Timor
Date: Sun, 12 Sep 1999 13:41:27 -0700
From: Regina Varolli <regina@mastifffoundation.org> Organization: The Mastiff
Foundation
TEXT U.N.'s Annan's statement on East Timor UNITED NATIONS, Sept 12 (Reuters)
Following is the text of a statement by U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan welcoming
Indonesia's decision to accept foreign troops to help subdue the violence which has
gripped East Timor since votes were cast there in favour of independence on August 30 in a
U.N.-organised ballot. An agreement signed at the United Nations by Indonesia and
Portugal, the former colonial power, on May 5 paved the way for the ballot and left
Indonesia in charge of security.
``I very much welcome the decision of the Government of Indonesia, as announced earlier
today by President (B.J.) Habibie, to accept the offer of the international community to
assist it in restoring peace and security in East Timor. I appreciate that it was a
difficult decision.
``I look forward to the imminent arrival of Indonesian Foreign Minister (Ali) Alatas in
New York to urgently finalise the details of the arrangements so that the Security Council
can take rapid action and the uncertainty and suffering of the East Timorese people will
not be prolonged.
``In the meantime, until the arrival of international forces under a United Nations
mandate, I expect the Indonesian authorities in East Timor and the Government of
Indonesia, at all levels, to do their utmost to maintain order and security in East Timor
in accordance with international norms and standards for which they remain responsible
under the 5 May Agreements.
``I am confident that, through this cooperation between the Government of Indonesia and
the United Nations, the desire of the East Timorese people to become independent, so
clearly expressed at the popular consultation (ballot) on 30 August, will be realised.''
(ends text)
Subject: Ramos-Horta &
Gusmao Urge Quick Action
Date: Sun, 12 Sep 1999 13:33:44 -0700
From: Regina Varolli <regina@mastifffoundation.org> The Mastiff Foundation
East Timor Independence Leader Gusmao Urges Quick Action .c Kyodo News
Service JAKARTA, Sept. 12 (Kyodo) - East Timor independence movement leader Xanana Gusmao
urged the United Nations and the international community Sunday to take quick action
following Indonesian President B.J. Habibie's acceptance of international forces for
restoring peace in East Timor.
Gusmao told reporters that ''now it is up to the U.N. Security Council and the
international community to act speedily. There is no time to lose.'' ''I urge all those
working for East Timor in the framework of setting up a multinational force to move
fast,'' he said.
Ramos-Horta calls for Quick Deployment of Int'l Force .c Kyodo News
Service AUCKLAND, New Zealand, Sept. 13 (Kyodo) - East Timor independence leader Jose
Ramos-Horta early Monday welcomed the announcement Sunday in Jakarta that Indonesia will
accept an international peacekeeping force in East Timor, but said its deployment must not
be delayed.
''I am pleased with the decision,'' the Nobel Peace Prize laureate said. ''What is
necessary now is that the United Nations secretary general and the Security Council begin
immediately the implementation of this peacekeeping force.'' On Sunday evening in Jakarta,
Indonesian President B.J. Habibie announced he would invite a U.N.-sanctioned
international peacekeeping force into East Timor to work with the Indonesian armed forces
in restoring order to the territory. Ramos-Horta, who is in Auckland to meet with Pacific
Rim leaders gathered here for trade talks, said the presence of international peacekeepers
in East Timor would boost the morale of the population. But he noted that the humanitarian
crisis in the territory was urgent.
''Immediately there should be an airlift of food supplies. The humanitarian crisis is a
matter of hours, it's not a matter of days,'' he said. Ramos-Horta said the leadership of
U.S. President Bill Clinton had been the catalyst for Jakarta's reversing its position on
allowing international peacekeepers into East Timor. Over the past two days, Clinton has
harshly criticized Indonesia's handling of the violence in East Timor, where pro-Jakarta
militias are feared to have killed hundreds of people since the territory voted Aug. 30 to
be independent from Indonesia.
Subject: Jubilation
in Dili as Indon agrees to peacekeeping force
Date: Sun, 12 Sep 1999 09:36:37 EDT
From: Joyo@aol.com
Jubilation in Dili as Indonesia agrees to peacekeeping force
JAKARTA, sept 12 (AFP) - Jubilation broke out in refugee camps in Dili on Sunday as
Indonesia finally agreed to allow international peacekeepers to stop the bloodshed in East
Timor.
Journalist Marie Colvin told the Cable News Network (CNN) that refugees were coming up
to her and kissing her, praising and thanking the international community.
"The idea that there is going to be international armed troops ... means they are
going to live," she said.
Subject: CNRT: Reaction to
Habibie's statement
Date: Mon, 13 Sep 1999 01:15:05 +1000
From: Geoff Heard <gheard@surf.net.au>
CNRT National Council for Timorese Resistance MEDIA RELEASE For immediate release: 2330
AustralianEST, Sunday 12 September 1999
CNRT: Reaction to Habibie statement
STATEMENT BY: Joao Carrascalao Head of CNRT in Australia President of UDT (Timorese
Democratic Union)
João Carrascalão is in Auckland for urgent talks on the East Timor issue with
national leaders, foreign ministers and officials at APEC.
We welcome the announcement by President Habibie that he is inviting a multinational
force to enter East Timor to bring peace to our homeland.
We are deeply saddened by the fact that we had to wait so long for this development,
and that so many innocent East Timorese had to be murdered by the brutal Indonesian
regime's so-called "defence force" before it was agreed.
Further, we deeply regret that the force will not enter East Timor immediately. It will
be at least days, perhaps longer, before the details are worked out. There are likely to
be more killings in the interim.
We are cautious about the implementation of the proposals for three major reasons:
- The Indonesian Foreign Minister, Ali Alatas, is to negotiate the details of the force's
entry to East Timor. Ali Alatas was intimately connected with the military plot which
first attempted to prevent the UN-sponsored freedom ballot taking place in East Timor, and
then tried to overthrow the result. We do not trust him to expedite negotiations or to
negotiate in good faith.
- President Habibie spoke of the multinational force working with the TNI to bring peace
to East Timor. The TNI and the Indonesian police are the problem. The only way they can be
part of the solution is by quitting East Timor.
- President Habibie made no mention of the immediate delivery of humanitarian aid to the
200,000 East Timorese in the mountains and tens of thousands in the concentration camps,
who need urgent supplies of food, clothing, medicine and shelter.
I will seek meetings with heads of governments, ministers and officials at the APEC
meeting in Auckland tomorrow and ask them to:
- Ensure a tight time limit is put on the negotiations for the entry of the force into
East Timor and that Indonesia cannot veto participation by any nation.
- Ensure the multinational force has control of TNI and TNI withdraws.
- Negotiate immediate access directly to all refugees to deliver needed aid.
In the end, President Habibie was left with no choice but to invite a multinational
force into East Timor after the genocidal rampages of his murderous military thugs had
brought down the ire of the free nations of the world and acutely embarrassed even
Indonesia's closest regional supporters.
FURTHER INFORMATION: Joao Carrascalao, CNRT Spokesperson in Australia. Tel: 0418 767
101
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