---------------------------------------------------------- FREE for JOIN Indonesia Daily News Online via EMAIL: go to: http://www.indo-news.com/subscribe.html - FREE - FREE - FREE - FREE - FREE - FREE - Please Visit Our Sponsor http://www.indo-news.com/cgi-bin/ads1 ---------------------------------------------------------- National Public Radio (NPR) [U.S.] SHOW: ALL THINGS CONSIDERED (8:00 PM ET) Thursday, August 26, 1999 THREE DIE AND MANY INJURED DURING PRE-ELECTION VIOLENCE IN EAST TIMOR ANCHORS: LINDA WERTHEIMER; NOAH ADAMS REPORTERS: ERIC WEINER LINDA WERTHEIMER, host: This is NPR's ALL THINGS CONSIDERED. I'm Linda Wertheimer. NOAH ADAMS, host: And I'm Noah Adams. In East Timor, at least three people were killed today, many more were injured, during clashes between pro- and anti-independence groups. A UN-sponsored referendum on the territory's future status will be held four days from now. Indonesia occupied East Timor in 1975. After Portugal abandoned the colony, it was annexed by Indonesia a year later. Independence-minded East Timorese militants have waged a guerrilla war against Indonesian troops ever since. The Indonesian government is now offering the people of East Timor a choice: autonomy within Indonesia or full independence. As NPR's Eric Weiner reports from Dili, East Timor's capital, the campaign has been marred by violence and some wonder if the vote should go ahead at all. ERIC WEINER reporting: The day began peacefully with a huge rally organized by pro-autonomy supporters, East Timorese who want to remain part of Indonesia. (Soundbite of crowd shouting) WEINER: About 8,000 people took to the streets of the capital, Dili, waving Indonesian flags and shouting, autonomy.' It was the largest gathering to date by those opposed to independence, but later in the day, clashes broke out. circumstances are still unclear, but at one point, an armed group of anti-independence militia went on a rampage attacking a pro-independence office with guns, knives, rocks--anything, it seems, they could get their hands on. (Soundbite of men shouting) WEINER: They also attacked several foreign journalists, surrounding a hotel where they were staying, and threatening to kill all of them. Chris Jones(ph), a cameraman for a New Zealand television, was one of those who narrowly escaped. Mr. CHRIS JONES (Cameraman, New Zealand): All of a sudden they just opened up with guns and threw rocks, and just chased us back all the way through the compound and back to the hotel, really, where they just pelted the roof with rocks and it was just intense. It was just intense. WEINER: A half-hour later, Indonesian police finally arrived at the scene and restored order. But by nightfall, the situation remains tense with bands of militia members roaming the streets. Most residents are staying indoors. Today's violence was only the latest in a series of attacks mainly carried out by militia opposed to independence. In the past few months, dozens of East Timorese have been killed, some hacked to death by machetes. UN spokesman David Wentworth(ph) says, The militia are doing whatever they can to intimidate voters and sabotage the election.' Mr. DAVID WENTWORTH (UN Spokesman): We're talking about verbal threats. We're talking about intimidation. We're talking about physical threats of violence. We're talking about property being burnt or destroyed. We're talking about warnings that if the vote goes against the pro-autonomy position, the blood will flow. This is ongoing. WEINER: The militia that carry out these attacks allegedly received weapons and training from the Indonesian army, a claim the army denies. Perhaps most important, they can act with impunity. During the past few months of violence, not a single militia member has been arrested. David Ximenes, vice secretary of the National Council for East Timorese Resistance, says The East Timorese people simply do not trust the Indonesian military.' Mr. DAVID XIMENES (Vice Secretary, National Council for East Timorese Resistance): (Through Translator) The people of East Timor are afraid of the Indonesian military. They have been afraid for 24 years. There's lots of fear. The intimidation continues through the Indonesian police and the Indonesian militaries and I don't know if the people are going to turn out to vote. WEINER: Human rights groups say, in fact, it is impossible to hold a free and fair vote under these conditions. They are calling for the UN to send armed peacekeepers to the region. But Indonesian officials say that is not necessary. They insist the Indonesian army is capable of providing a secure environment for Monday's referendum, a claim that seems implausible given the bloodshed today on the streets of East Timor. Eric Weiner, NPR News, Dili, East Timor. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Didistribusikan tgl. 28 Aug 1999 jam 13:06:41 GMT+1 oleh: Indonesia Daily News Online <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> http://www.Indo-News.com/ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
