---------------------------------------------------------- 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 ---------------------------------------------------------- ANTARA, Aug 9 1999 Ballot in E Timor: Campaign Should Stress Consequences Of Choices-Observer Lisbon, Aug 9 (ANTARA)-The campaign for the Aug 30 direct ballot in East Timor should stress the consiquences of choosing autonomy under Indonesia or choosing independence from the republic, a Portuguese observer on East Timor affairs has said. "The campaign should (focus on) the consequences of each choice, which should be understood by the (East Timorese). The neutral position of the UN Mission in East Timor (UNAMET) is necessary to prevent the East Timor issue from protracting," Prof Nuno Rocha told ANTARA here Sunday. Rocha said the UNAMET should be able to show a neutral stance in explaining to the ballot participants the consequences of each choice. It has the obligation to organize a debate between the pro- autonomy and pro-independence camps, he said. Rocha, who is active in Amnesty International, noted that the organization sees that the autonomy offered by the Indonesian government to East Timor explains the province's rights to engage in political activities, as well as to develop its culture, economy and potentials. "From an analytical point of view, there is the impression that the autonomy package has not been explained in detail, while the pro-independence choice has clearly gotten attention," said Rocha, who is also chief editor of Mass Media Journal. He reminded UNAMET personnel not easily fall into the "trap" which says that the ballot in East Timor is only a "project". They have to take responsibility for the future of the East Timorese, he added. "The UNAMET's neutrality should be acknowledged. But the performance of its personnel should also be observed to prevent them from making the same mistake done by UN personnel in Iraq who applied double standards in analyzing the problem (in that country)," he said. Meanwhile, an UNAMET representative here said some 2,205 East Timorese have registered from July 16 to Aug 8 for tha ballot, 30 percent of whom are European descendants of East Timorese natives. (U.LPT-01/nn04/13:17/int-cl/14:31/14:55/TB06) ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Didistribusikan tgl. 16 Aug 1999 jam 06:32:21 GMT+1 oleh: Indonesia Daily News Online <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> http://www.Indo-News.com/ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
