---------------------------------------------------------- Visit Indonesia Daily News Online HomePage: http://www.indo-news.com/ Please Visit Our Sponsor http://www.indo-news.com/cgi-bin/ads1 ---------------------------------------------------------- The Australian Financial Review - (AFR), July 14, 1999 E Timor Police Chief Promises Poll Peace By Tim Dodd, Jakarta East Timor's police chief, Colonel Timbul Silaen, pledged yesterday that his forces would maintain security in the territory to allow the ballot on independence to go ahead next month. The Indonesian police are the main security force for the ballot and are taking over responsibility for maintaining law and order from the army. An extra 1,300 police are expected to arrive in East Timor soon to beef up the police numbers. Colonel Silaen told Reuters his force would fulfil its role. "They are professionals and as the head of police here I am optimistic that they will be able to maintain security," he said. The East Timor police, along with the Indonesian army, have been criticised by the United Nations and foreign governments for not acting to rein in violent tactics used against locals by pro-Indonesian militia opposed to independence for the territory. Militia groups have attacked members of the UN mission who are organising the ballot, and have intimidated East Timorese on a large scale, driving thousands from their homes into refugee camps. Reliable witnesses have seen army and police personnel supporting militia groups in violence and the intimidation of locals. Colonel Silaen's assurance came after an unprecedented visit to East Timor by 13 Indonesian Cabinet ministers on Monday which was intended to demonstrate Jakarta's commitment to holding the ballot successfully on the scheduled date, the weekend of August 21-22. Foreign Minister Mr Ali Alatas said the visit showed the Government's "determination and our sincerity and our seriousness to really implement what we have agreed to do". The UN has said it would decide on Friday if the security situation had improved enough to allow the ballot to proceed as scheduled. The vote has already been postponed once because of security concerns and a second postponement could be fatal to its chances of success. On Monday, Indonesia's Information Minister, Mr Yunus Yosfiah, told public servants from his department in East Timor's capital, Dili, that they should be neutral in the ballot, which will offer a choice between autonomy under Indonesian rule or independence. He said staff should be fired if they were pro-independence but neither should they press people to accept the autonomy offer from Jakarta. "Let the [East Timorese] people choose between what is good and bad for them according to their conscience," he was quoted by AFP as saying. East Timorese public servants previously have said they had been threatened with the loss of their jobs if they refused to sign papers declaring allegiance to Jakarta. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Didistribusikan tgl. 16 Jul 1999 jam 06:53:10 GMT+1 oleh: Indonesia Daily News Online <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> http://www.Indo-News.com/ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
