East Timor : Escalation of violence CFSP Presidency Statement: Brussels (20-04-1999) - Nr. 7397/99 (Presse 111) - CFSP : 41/99 Declaration by the Presidency on behalf on the European Union on latest incidents in East Timor The European Union is deeply concerned that since its April 12 declaration violence has escalated substantially in East Timor. In Dili, pro-integration militias have carried out new attacks on 17 and 18 April killing some thirty unarmed civilians and injuring many more. The teenage son of Manuel Jose Carrascalao, speaker of Conselho Nacional da Resistencia Timorense, is reported to be amongst those killed. The EU is particularly concerned that these acts of violence occurred within a short distance of the military command of the Indonesian armed forces stationed in East Timor and that those forces did not intervene in order to prevent or stop the incident. The EU strongly condemns these acts of violence and urges all parties in the territory of East Timor to show the utmost restraint in order to avoid further such incidents. The EU expresses its deep concern that the Indonesian authorities were unable to prevent the new attacks resulting in the loss of innocent human lives. The EU notes in this context the fact that the Indonesian government has likewise condemned these attacks and taken responsibility for the incident. The EU urges the Indonesian government actively to assume its responsibility and to ensure that violence will not recur. The EU again reiterates its position that it remains the obligation of the Indonesian government to maintain and preserve security, stability and public order in East Timor, to disarm militias and hold accountable those responsible for the killings. Recent developments have shown that a UN presence in East Timor is urgently needed to help prevent further violent clashes in East Timor. The EU urges the Indonesian authorities to recognise this need and to allow the UN to deploy its personnel in the territory. The EU underlines the importance of the ongoing tripartite negotiating process which remains the only way to reach a just, comprehensive and internationally acceptable solution to the East Timorese issue taking into account the rights of the people of East Timor and the interests of all parties concerned. _________________ /newsroom/press/a/07397.EN9.htm -- ********************************************************************** Watch Indonesia! Tel./Fax +49-30-204 44 09 Haus der Demokratie e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Friedrichstr. 165 http://www.snafu.de/~watchin 10117 Berlin ********************************************************************** To unsubscribe send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with in the message body the line: unsubscribe demi-demokrasi
