---------------------------------------------------------- Visit Indonesia Daily News Online HomePage: http://www.indo-news.com/ Please Visit Our Sponsor http://www.indo-news.com/cgi-bin/ads1 ---------------------------------------------------------- AM - Australian Broadcasting Corp. morning news programme Thursday, August 19, 1999 following report broadcast at 8:26 a.m. Transcript East Timor violence/UN PETER CAVE: In East Timor the United Nations is taking action on the ground to try to shore up security ahead of this month's referendum on independence. With only 12 days before the ballot, the head of the UN Mission, Ian Martin, has visited the worst trouble spots and says that he's very disturbed at new outbreaks of violence. One of those trouble spots is the town of Maliana, 160 kilometres west of the capital Dili, where pro-Jakarta militias have carried out the latest attacks on rival supporters of East Timorese independence. Indonesia correspondent, Mark Bowling reports. MARK BOWLING: Maliana is a town under siege. On the three-hour drive to get there from the capital, Dili, there are numerous roadblocks manned by armed militias. They don't like outsiders but allow journalists to pass if they listen to their rhetoric. MILITIA: [inaudible] MARK BOWLING: 'Autonomy: There's 100 per cent support here for autonomy which would mean we stay part of Indonesia,' says this militia member. 'We have the right to stop our opponents in any way it takes.' At least a dozen people were injured in the last brutal confrontation between East Timor's rival factions outside a pro-independence office in Maliana. The office was destroyed, an obvious target in a town recognised as a stronghold of the pro-Jakarta militias where it's believed they have stockpiled arms and are preparing for a full scale assault on their pro-independence rivals. The latest violence in Maliana happened just hours before the United Nations head of mission in East Timor, Ian Martin, arrived on a flying visit to demand that local government officials and police take measures to restore security. He's unimpressed with the lack of action to stop on-going attacks. IAN MARTIN: Yes, and I'm very disturbed indeed. I mean one of the reasons, the reason why Maliana is one of the three places we visited today is because it's one of the places where we've been most consistently concerned about the security situation for the popular consultation. It's perfectly clear that what we've been saying about the seriousness of the situation here has been absolutely no exaggeration. MARK BOWLING: There are claims the Indonesian military is still directly backing the militias and that police either stand by or are slow to stop militia attacks. The United Nations insists military leaders in Jakarta are committed to restoring control. But that message must be carried out by commanders on the ground. PETER CAVE: Mark Bowling reporting. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Didistribusikan tgl. 19 Aug 1999 jam 09:19:14 GMT+1 oleh: Indonesia Daily News Online <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> http://www.Indo-News.com/ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
