PRESS CONFERENCE BY PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF INDONESIA

Press Briefing

PRESS CONFERENCE BY PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF INDONESIA

No burning or shooting had taken place in East Timor over the last 24 hours, and the situation was much better today than it had been yesterday, Makarim Wibisono, Permanent Representative of Indonesia to the United Nations, told correspondents at a Headquarters press conference this morning. The conflicting parties had agreed to stop their action, he added.

He said the Security Council Mission to Indonesia had met with Foreign Minister Ali Alatas, who had asked the international community, especially the United Nations, to give Indonesia an opportunity to restore security and order to East Timor. President B.J. Habibie had also received the Mission and would facilitate their visit to East Timor on Saturday.

Mr. Wibisono said that the task of the Executive Military Emergency Command in East Timor was to rehabilitate and operate community services following the departure of civilian employees, and to create a secure environment. The United Nations Mission in East Timor (UNAMET) compound in Dili had been resupplied with the assistance of the military there.

Replying to a question about political and military power centres outside Government control, Mr. Wibisono said that rumours of a coup d’etat, and of political pressure for President Habibie to resign, were not based on fact. The President was in full control of the situation and the military had issued a statement supporting the Government’s policy with regard to East Timor.

A correspondent asked whether the President had been in full control during the massacres of pro-independence East Timorese by pro- autonomy militias, reportedly supported by Indonesian troops and police.

The Permanent Representative emphasized President Habibie’s firm and determined policy to honour the results of last week’s popular consultation, including the majority’s vote in favour of East Timor’s separation from Indonesia. However, the deep disappointment of pro- autonomy factions over the referendum’s outcome, coupled with UNAMET’s failure to respond satisfactorily to reports of irregularities before and during the vote, could have triggered militia efforts to undermine the result.

Mr. Wibisono stressed that the state of emergency in East Timor had enabled the President and military commanders to change the situation on the ground through new command structures in Dili.

Wibisono Briefing - 2 - 9 September 1999

Responsibility for security was no longer in the hands of the regional commander. Also, the introduction of reinforcements from outside the territory had addressed the problem of troops’ exposure to the East Timor question and psychological attachment to the pro-autonomy forces.

Why had Indonesia failed to meet its responsibility to ensure law and order? another correspondent asked.

The Permanent Representative said that the 5 May Peace Agreement provided not only for the disarmament of pro-autonomy militias, but of all armed groups in East Timor, including pro-independence factions. The Armed Forces for Independent East Timor (FATILIN) had not given up any of their weapons.

But FATILIN was not shooting anybody at the moment, interjected another correspondent.

They were right now, and nobody knew what was happening in the mountains and jungles, Mr. Wibisono said. There was full evidence that FATILIN had killed 2,000 people in 1975.

Responding to another question, he said he would not concede that Indonesia had failed to fulfil its security obligations. If the situation on the ground in East Timor were not improving, the Security Council Mission would not be going there on Saturday.

Had President Habibie and General Wiranto discussed disciplinary measures against any senior officers in East Timor who may have failed to carry out orders of the President or the Defence Minister? asked another correspondent. Who would be punished? asked another. Who would pay the price?

Mr. Wibisono replied that the state of emergency was actually a tool to address all problems on the ground. The major interest of all concerned was how to restore the situation to normalcy.

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