June 23, 1999
The Indonesian government has reacted angrily to a unilateral decision by the United Nations to postpone the landmark autonomy referendum in East Timor for two weeks. Jakarta has accepted the new date - 21 August - but has made it clear that any ballot later than that would be rejected.
Expressing his irritation at the UN decision, Foreign Minister Ali Alatas rejected the UN's announcement that poor security on the war-torn island was the reason for the delay. He said: "Indonesia asks (that the postponement) be based on fair and objective reasons, since the security situation in East Timor has been improving." He added: "We will be reasonable. But do not put the security situation as the cause," he said. Mr Alatas said the UN had no right to make any decision on a delay until Mr Annan's special envoy, Jamsheed Marker, had completed a visit to East Timor. He insisted that the recent general election showed security on the island had improved.
Indonesian President B.J. Habibie was quoted by a senior official as saying that if the vote was not held by 21 August, he would not accept it.
Attacks on Civilians
The UN Secretary General's decision to postpone the vote followed numerous reports of attacks on civilians and logistical security problems in East Timor. Within the next three weeks, he will have to decide whether the security situation has improved sufficiently for the ballot to take place at all.
Jailed East Timor leader Xanana Gusmao said in a statement issued from his house prison in Jakarta that he backed Mr Annan's decision. The rebel leader reiterated his commitment "to continue to work and cooperate with all parties involved in the process."
Election Monitors
The latest disagreement coincided with the arrival from Australia of the first UN poll officers to monitor the referendum in East Timor. Many of the 50 blue-bereted volunteers have already fulfilled similar roles in Cambodia and Bosnia Hercegovina.
Under the agreement signed by Indonesia and Portugal in May, security is being left to the Indonesian police. But a UN team in East Timor and the human rights organisation, Amnesty International, have both accused Indonesian troops of supporting unofficial pro-government militias in a campaign of intimidation against civilians.
Key Issue
The UN brokered an agreement in May between Indonesia, which invaded East Timor in 1975, and Portugal, the territory's former colonial power. The deal provided for a vote on proposals for autonomy. If this was rejected, the Indonesian Government said it would be prepared to let the territory become independent.
But the agreement specified that violence and intimidation must end in order to ensure a secure environment for a free and fair vote.
