| Subject: UN:
Assemby Hails Onset of ET's Transition to Independence
[East Timor excerpts only]
17 December 1999
Press Release GA/9691
ASSEMBLY HAILS ONSET OF EAST TIMOR'S
TRANSITION TO INDEPENDENCE; CREATES NEW HAITI MISSION, CALLS ON AFGHAN
PARTIES FOR DIALOGUE
Other Actions Aimed at Increasing
Security of Humanitarian Personnel, Demining Cooperation, Return of
Cultural Property; Observer Status Granted to IUCN
The General Assembly this afternoon
decided to remove the question of East Timor from its agenda and next year
to consider a new agenda item, entitled, "the situation in East Timor
during its transition to independence".
The Assembly took that action without a
vote as it adopted a text by whose terms welcomed the successful conduct
of the popular consultation of the East Timorese people on 30 August. It
took note of the outcome of the consultation, which begins a process of
transition for East Timor, under the authority of the United Nations,
towards independence.
... Assembly Work Programme
Question of East Timor: background
The United Nations General Assembly
placed East Timor on the international agenda in 1960, when it added the
territory to its list of Non- Self-Governing Territories. At that time,
East Timor was administered by Portugal. Fourteen years later, in 1974,
Portugal sought to establish a provisional government and a popular
assembly which would determine the status of the Territory. Civil war
broke out between those who favoured independence and those who advocated
integration with Indonesia. Unable to control the situation, Portugal
withdrew. Indonesia then intervened militarily and later integrated East
Timor as its twenty-seventh province. The United Nations never recognized
this integration, and both the Security Council and the General Assembly
called for Indonesia's withdrawal.
In June 1998, Indonesia proposed a
limited autonomy for East Timor within Indonesia. In light of this
proposal, the talks made rapid progress and resulted in a set of
agreements between Indonesia and Portugal, signed in New York on 5 May
1999. The two Governments entrusted the Secretary-General with organizing
and conducting a "popular consultation" in order to ascertain
whether the East Timorese people accepted or rejected a special autonomy
for East Timor within Indonesia. To carry out the consultation, the
Security Council established the United Nations Mission in East Timor (UNAMET)
on 11 June 1999. The 5 May agreements stipulated that, after the vote,
UNAMET would oversee a transition period pending implementation of the
decision of the East Timorese people.
On voting day, 30 August 1999, some 98
per cent of registered voters went to the polls, deciding by a margin of
94,388 (21.5 per cent) to 344,580 (78.5 per cent) to reject the proposed
autonomy and begin a process of transition towards independence. Following
the announcement of the result, pro-integration militias launched a
campaign of violence, looting and arson throughout the entire territory.
Many East Timorese were killed and as many as 500,000 were displaced from
their homes, about half leaving the territory, in some cases under threat
of force.
Following the outbreak of violence, the
Indonesian armed forces and police began a drawdown from the territory,
eventually leaving completely. Indonesian administrative officials also
left. On 28 September, Indonesia and Portugal, at a meeting with the
United Nations, reiterated their agreement for the transfer of authority
in East Timor to the United Nations. They also agreed that ad hoc measures
were required to fill the gap created by the early departure of the
Indonesian civil authorities. UNAMET re-established its headquarters in
Dili on 28 September, and immediately began efforts to restore the
mission's logistical capacity and redeploy UNAMET personnel as conditions
allowed.
On 19 October 1999, the Indonesian
People's Consultative Assembly formally recognized the result of the
consultation. Shortly thereafter, on 25 October, the United Nations
Security Council established the United Nations Transitional
Administration in East Timor (UNTAET) as an integrated, multidimensional
peacekeeping operation fully responsible for the administration of East
Timor during its transition to independence.
Report of the Secretary-General
The report of the Secretary-General
(document A/54/654) states that in 1982 the then Secretary-General was
asked by the Assembly to initiate consultations with all parties, with a
view to exploring avenues for achieving a comprehensive settlement of the
problem with regard to East Timor. Over the past 17 years three
Secretary-Generals -- including himself -- have sought to find a just,
comprehensive and internationally acceptable solution to the question of
East Timor.
The report goes on to detail:
negotiations leading to the 5 May agreements; the establishment of the
United Nations Mission in East Timor (UNAMET); the establishment of the
Independent Electoral Commission; security concerns; delays to the
operational phases of the consultation; registration; the campaign period;
polling; post consultation violence; the establishment of the
multinational forces; and the establishment of the United Nations
Transitional Mission in East Timor.
In his observations the Secretary-General
says the successful culmination of the tripartite negotiations has led to
the settlement of the question of the future status of East Timor. It was
a matter of outrage and regret that the consultation process was marred by
widespread violence, wanton destruction and massive displacement of the
population, organized and perpetrated by elements that opposed East
Timor's independence. He congratulated the East Timorese for the new page
they have turned in their history and for the perseverance and courage
they have shown, particularly during the intimidation and violence that
characterized the decisive final stages of the process. Without their
determination, the successful conclusion of this process would not have
been possible. The United Nations will do its utmost to justify their
trust, with respect to all aspects of the work which lies ahead during the
transition of East Timor to independence.
Draft Resolution
By the terms of a draft resolution
sponsored by Indonesia and Portugal (document A/54/L.73), the Assembly
would welcome the successful conduct of the popular consultation of the
East Timorese people on 30 August and would take note of its outcome,
which began a process of transition under the authority of the United
Nations towards independence. It would also welcome the decisions of the
Indonesian People's Consultative Assembly on 19 October concerning East
Timor in accordance with article 6 of the agreement of 5 May (by which
Indonesia formally recognized the result of the popular consultation). The
Assembly would also decide to conclude its consideration of the question
of East Timor, and to include in the provisional agenda of the fifty-fifth
session a new item entitled "the situation in East Timor during its
transition to independence". ... Action on Drafts ...
Introduction of Draft
MAKARIM WIBISONO (Indonesia), introducing
the draft on the question of East Timor (document A/54/L.73), said that
notwithstanding formidable obstacles, his country had been steadfast in
its commitment to a just comprehensive and internationally acceptable
solution to the question of that Territory. His Government had abided by
its responsibility and commitment to see that the choice taken by the East
Timorese was respected and that their separation from Indonesia was
carried out in an orderly, peaceful and dignified manner. Today, East
Timor had begun a process of transition, under United Nations auspices
towards eventual independence.
It was therefore both timely and
appropriate for the Assembly to close consideration on the question and
include in the provisional agenda of its next session a new item, entitled
"the situation in East Timor during its transition to
independence". He recommended the draft for adoption by consensus.
Introducing the draft on East Timor
(document A/54/L.73), ANTONIO MONTEIRO (Portugal) said it represented a
landmark not only for East Timor but also for the United Nations. For the
East Timorese because they had finally been able to fulfil their
legitimate right to self-determination and for the Organization because it
had been able to achieve a just, comprehensive and internationally
acceptable solution to the question.
He said his country and Indonesia could
only express their satisfaction with the draft resolution because it had
emerged from the joint efforts of their two countries in close
consultation with the Secretariat. He called on the international
community to create the right conditions for the reconstruction and
transition to independence of East Timor and to ensure that it was a
success story.
The Assembly adopted the resolution
without a vote, thus concluding its consideration of East Timor.
Back
to December Menu
World Leaders Contact List
Human Rights Violations in East Timor
Main Postings Menu
Note: For those who would like to fax "the
powers that be" - CallCenter V3.5.8, is a Native 32-bit Voice Telephony software
application integrated with fax and data communications... and it's free of charge!
Download from http://www.v3inc.com/ |
