---------------------------------------------------------- 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 ---------------------------------------------------------- Financial Times Tuesday August 24 1999 E TIMOR: Independence rally left in peace By Sander Thoenes in Jakarta Thousands of independence supporters rallied peacefully in the capital of East Timor yesterday in advance of next Monday's referendum amid indications that pro-Indonesian militia are losing appetite for massive attacks aimed at derailing the vote. The demonstrators in Dili gathered without harassment by the pro-Indonesian gangs which have killed and maimed hundreds of Timorese in recent months. Pro-independence groups have limited their campaign for fear of similar attacks, but also because they feel confident of winning and want to avoid clashes that could stop the vote from taking place. A smaller gathering of groups favouring autonomy for East Timor as part of Indonesia rallied in the town of Bazartete. Journalists at the scene said some of the protesters had identified themselves as Indonesian military officers, dressed in civilian clothes, in breach of the military's pledge to stay neutral. The United Nations, which sponsors the vote, has voiced concern that campaign violence could derail the plebiscite or escalate into large- scale clashes afterwards. It obtained approval yesterday from Indonesia's military commander, General Wiranto, to raise the presence of unarmed UN police from 280 to 460 in September and increase its military liaison staff from 50 to 300. However, a foreign businessman who has just returned from East Timor said that in some areas the militia appeared to have eased up after several weeks of attacks. Diplomats have suggested Jakarta may be refocusing on keeping Aceh, the western tip of Sumatra, from pushing for secession. The entire cabinet is due to visit Aceh on Saturday, two days before the East Timor vote. The businessman, like others, said the militia were unlikely to launch a civil war if they lost the vote. "If they see the Indonesian military backing out, I doubt they're ready to go into the hills and start a guerrilla war," he said. "They are used to the city, they've been living the good life for 20 years." However, he added: "There will be vendettas ...between individuals. A lot of people have done some nasty things with impunity in the last five or six months. There will be violence. Nobody is going to stop that." ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Didistribusikan tgl. 24 Aug 1999 jam 08:25:29 GMT+1 oleh: Indonesia Daily News Online <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> http://www.Indo-News.com/ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
