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EAST TIMORESE BISHOP URGES POSTPONEMENT OF INDEPENDENCE VOTE
By Catholic News Service
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Bishop Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo of Dili, East
Timor, said the Aug. 8 vote on the territory's independence from Indonesia
should be postponed unless peace is quickly restored to the island.
The bishop said the current Indonesian military strategy is to
eliminate anyone who might vote for independence.
''They burn the houses, they kill the young people. As a result, the
numbers of people supporting independence are diminishing. There is no
working justice system, while houses are being burned and people are being
killed in Dili; there is not even an attempt to bring anyone to justice, to
imprison those responsible or anything else,'' he said.
''Everyone is very afraid. The resistance is not appearing in Dili
anymore, because it is too dangerous, there is no security. Under these
circumstances, you cannot have a referendum in peace and freedom,'' he said.
The bishop made his remarks in a statement released May 31 through
his biographer, Arnold Kohen, who is a consultant for the International
Justice and Peace Office of the U.S. Catholic Conference in Washington.
Bishop Belo said it was unlikely that a free and fair vote could be
held under current conditions.
He said Indonesian President B.J. Habibie and the armed forces
commander must be told to disarm the pro-integration militias before the
referendum can go forward.
''Otherwise it is better not to have a referendum,'' he said.
''The Indonesians know that they will lose the referendum if people
are free to vote. This is why they have developed a strategy to make a free
vote impossible,'' he said.
Bishop Belo also accused Indonesia of infiltrating militia groups
with more than 1,000 soldiers and secret service agents in an attempt to
disrupt the upcoming election. He called for the immediate deployment of an
international military force.
''They are infiltrating everywhere,'' he said of the Indonesian
agents.
''When you hear about militia attacks, they (Indonesians) are always
part of the militia groups. They push the militias, they give the orders
and they themselves shoot,'' Bishop Belo said.
''It is necessary that there be an international military force here.
A police force by itself is insufficient. This military force must be
present in all villages and administrative posts,'' the bishop emphasized.
On May 16 Bishop Belo promised to remain neutral on the vote, but he
has also cautioned that violence will continue until more U.N. security
units are brought in.
Five western districts are already under the control of the military,
including Liquisa, Ainaro, Ermera, Oecussi, the bishop said.
In the city of Aileu ''the entire population is being threatened with
death unless they vote autonomy'' within Indonesia, as opposed to
independence, he said. ''People are being told that either they vote for
autonomy or they will be killed.''
He also accused Indonesia of withholding salaries of civil servants
until they have signed documents stating their support of integration with
Indonesia.
Indonesia invaded East Timor, a predominantly Catholic former
Portuguese colony, in 1975 and unilaterally annexed it the following year.
Neither the Vatican nor the United Nations has recognized the
annexation, and most countries still view Portugal as territorial
administrator.
After 23 years of a military campaign against the East Timorese
guerrilla separatist movement, Indonesia agreed in May to hold a
U.N.-monitored ballot that will determine independence or continued
integration.
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