---------------------------------------------------------- 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 ++ Pemilu Online: http://www.indo-news.com/pemilu/ ++ ---------------------------------------------------------- The Indonesian Observer, June 25, 1999 East Timor Group Wants UN Official Replaced JAKARTA (IO) - The Forum for Unity, Democracy and Justice (FPDK) has asked UN Secretary General Kofi Annan to replace the spokesperson of the UN Assistance Mission in East Timor (UNAMET), because he has frequently discredited anti- independence groups. "UNAMET spokesperson David Wimhurst has often been partisan in his acts and also tends to corner the pro-integration group," FPDK spokesperson, Basilio Dias Araujo, was quoted as saying by Antara in Dili yesterday. For example, in an alleged incident in which two houses in Maubara were reportedly searched for weapons by UNAMET officials, Wimhurst unilaterally and without verifying the report simply stated that it was untrue, complained Araujo. A field check has apparently proved that two members of the UNAMET Police, Steve Polden and Ross Ballatyne, both Australian citizens, and three Dutch reporters, conducted searches in the houses belonging to Amelia and Caliastro, residents of Maubara in Liquica district, at about 2:30 p.m. local time on June 19. "The denial made by David Wimhurst is intended only to conceal their own mistake and is evidence of his dishonesty," said Araujo. He said Wimhurst has made many other statements that disadvantaged the pro-integration groups, because he only listens to information from the pro-independence groups, and has never felt the need to clarify what he has heard. Wimhurst's partisan attitude, he said, is understandable considering that he once pursued his studies in Portugal and has a Portuguese wife. Therefore, said Araujo, FPDK has asked the UN secretary general and his special envoy, Jamsheed Marker, to replace David Wimhurst with someone more "neutral". "Don't let one David Wimhurst make UNAMET another failure in UN missions to help solve conflicts in the world," he added. Search The Commission for Peace and Stability (KPS) on Wednesday said it had confirmed reports about UNAMET Police searching houses for weapons. KPS Coordinator B.N. Marbun said the commission had checked the veracity of the reports during a visit to Maubara, where it interviewed the house owners concerned and local authorities. "Based on the information we obtained, we can state that two UNAMET staffers did search the houses, whereby they overstepped their authority as UN staff," Marbun told the press in Dili. He said according to the agreement reached by the UN and the Indonesian and Portuguese governments, UNAMET's task and authority is to act as an advisor to the Indonesian Police without the authority to take police action, such as conducting searches. The authority to take legal action remains in the hands of the Indonesian Police, while UNAMET should only offer suggestions and watch over the measures taken by the Indonesian Police to maintain order and security prior to and during the organization of the autonomy ballot to be held on August 8, Marbun said. The actions of the two UNAMET officers in searching Maubara residents' houses violated the latter's human rights and generated fear among the Maubara people, he claimed. The people of Maubara are considering UNAMET's presence as a denial of their hopes, he said. Previously, many East Timorese had expressed hope that UNAMET would bring peace to East Timor but now those hopes have been dashed, he said. And all because of two searches in which no violence occurred. The owners of the searched houses and an Indonesian liaison officer in Maubere, Captain Suhendro, had told KPS members the two UNAMET staffers conducted their search on the grounds they had received a tip that a quantity of ammunition and firearms were hidden in the houses. Chronology Recounting the chronology of the affair in Maubara, Marbun said that on June 19 at around 1:30 p.m., an UNAMET team consisting of UN Civil Police officer Steve Polden and UN Political Affairs staffer Ross Ballatyne - both from Australia - accompanied by a driver and an interpreter, visited Liquisa to check on reports of the shooting of two villagers in Lisadila by the Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI). The UNAMET team was received by Suhendro. Together, they went to the location to check the information. But they found that locals had never heard of the alleged victims. The team met with three Dutch reporters and went to a place where there was a signboard saying "Tasakfumak no. 222" without informing locals of the purpose of their visit. After reaching the place at around 4.30 pm, Steve Polden went into the houses of Amelia (54) and Caliastro (35), without the permission of Suhendro and the house owners. Polden allegedly ransacked the house, turned the contents of a wardrobe upside down, and emptied a bag of rice onto the floor. Fifteen minutes later, after being warned by Suhendro, Polden stopped his search and left for Dili. Marbun said people were able to report the incident was committed by UNAMET staff because the perpetrators came and left in an UNAMET car. The incident, Marbun said, should be seen as a warning to UNAMET not to let officials outside the mission use its facilities. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Didistribusikan tgl. 29 Jun 1999 jam 05:37:06 GMT+1 oleh: Indonesia Daily News Online <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> http://www.Indo-News.com/ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
