SEP 15, 2000
Timor could explode in violence, warns US
It urges Jakarta to put down the ruthless militias quickly,
but asks the UN Security Council to use any pressure tactics
with caution
UNITED NATIONS -- The United States warned on Wednesday of an explosion of
violence in East and West Timor unless
Indonesia curbed quickly militias who have killed UN aid
workers and carried out cross-border raids.
But it said the UN Security Council should, if possible, wait
before sending a delegation to Jakarta to hear from an
Indonesian government minister who is expected in New York
this weekend.
France, for its part, urged caution before putting additional
pressure on Indonesia to restore law and order to West Timor,
where the UN says the militias are also intimidating tens of
thousands of East Timorese refugees.
""We run the risk of the two halves of Timor exploding into a new era of
violence unless swift and strong action is taken by the international
community and by the Indonesian military
authorities,'' said the US permanent representative to the UN,
Mr Richard Holbrooke.
He was speaking to reporters after the Security Council met to finalise
plans for sending ambassadors to Jakarta with ""a strong message to the
government'' to disarm and disband the militias.
On Sept 6, three staff members of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees
(UNHCR) were hacked to death by a militia-led mob in Atambua, site of one
of the main refugee camps.
Indonesia has said it will not receive the delegation, but will send
its Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs, Mr
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, to the UN headquarters.
""It is appropriate for the Security Council to hear the views of
that envoy before the mission sets out for Jakarta, if the schedule
works out correctly,'' Mr Holbrooke said.
Council sources said they expected Mr Yudhoyono to meet
council members tomorrow. One diplomat, speaking on condition
of anonymity, said most council members felt short-changed by
Indonesia's decision to send an envoy to New York.
French Foreign Minister Hubert Vedrine told a news conference here,
however, that ""we must think carefully before exerting new pressures'' on
Indonesia.
""If the aim is to restore law and order in West Timor, we must consider
carefully which forms of pressure would be useful and which might have
unfortunate consequences,'' he added. --AFP
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