By Mergawati Zulfakar

Malaysian diplomat Datuk N. Parameswaran, who is serving as Chief-of-Staff of the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (Untaet), has tendered his resignation over what he alleged as intervention from Untaet's higher-ups and the mission's "white" policy.

In a letter to United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, Parameswaran, whose resignation takes effect from Sunday , named senior Untaet officials who encroached into his role and responsibility. "Even though, I am at the second level of command and took charge of the mission on many occasions, I was often excluded from key policy decisions made in the mission.

"Information was also sometimes withheld from me. For instance, I know little about the current down-sizing plans of the mission nor the shape of the future mission," Parameswaran said in his letter to New York which was obtained by The Star.

Parameswaran claimed that a select group of junior officers were empowered to undertake important responsibilities far beyond their levels. "This has undermined the chain of command and the standing and authority of the senior officers, contributing also to demoralisation," he added.

Parameswaran said while he worked closely with East Timorese independence leader Xanana Gusmao on various initiatives for refugee returns and reconciliation, this role was "encroached" upon by the new deputy special representative and his senior adviser.

"My reconciliation efforts were similarly affected by his intervention in the work of the Serious Crimes Unit in the Prosecutor-General's Office.'' Parameswaran said the intervention had triggered other important resignations in the unit including the Deputy Prosecutor-General (Serious Crimes) last October.

"Untaet has become very much a ‘white' mission, an Eastern mission with a Western face. "With my resignation, there will effectively be no high level Asian civilian representation in this mission."

Untaet is headed by Brazilian Sergio Vieira de Mello, who is the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, and his deputy is Dennis McNamara from New Zealand. Parameswaran, who took on the position in January 2000, however, credited de Mello for his dedication as Annan's special representative.

When contacted in Dili, Parameswaran confirmed his resignation but declined to elaborate. It is understood Wisma Putra has been informed of his decision. Prior to taking up the job in East Timor, Parameswaran who has 33 years experience as a diplomat was the Foreign Ministry's Asean director-general.

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