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NEWS- Indonesia vows crackdown on E



Indonesia vows crackdown on East Timor protests

            June 29, 1998
            Web posted at: 3:06 a.m. EDT (0706
            GMT) 

            DILI, East Timor
            (Reuters) -- Indonesian
            authorities on Monday
            vowed to crack down on
            protests in East Timor,
            but said they were willing
            to discuss what form of autonomy would be
            appropriate for the troubled territory. 

            Jakarta-appointed East Timor governor Abilio
            Soares said authorities would get tough on
            protests, which he said had led to anarchy in the
            former Portuguese enclave annexed by Indonesia in
            the mid-1970s. 

            "The armed forces have been instructed to take
            stern measures against rioters who have attacked
            government offices, cars and flags of the Republic
            of Indonesia," Soares told a news conference in the
            territory's capital Dili. 

            In Jakarta, Foreign Minister Ali Alatas told reporters
            that the future of East Timor could only be resolved
            through dialogue. 

            "Demonstrations or riots will not bring a solution," he
            told reporters in parliament. "What's more, those
            who are demonstrating and causing disturbances
            are university students who should know better." 

            Street protests have broken out frequently in Dili
            since the Indonesian government announced earlier
            this month that it was willing to give East Timor
            special status if its sovereignty over the region was
            recognized by Portugal and the United Nations. 

            The United Nations has not recognized Jakarta's
            rule over the enclave and still considers Lisbon as
            the administering power. 

            Many in the Roman Catholic-dominated territory are
            calling for a referendum on the future of East Timor,
            but some are saying the integration with Indonesia
            should now be accepted. Both sides have held rival
            demonstrations and last week clashes broke out
            between them in which at least one person was
            killed. 

            "A referendum will only cause a split among
            Timorese and a civil war," Alatas said. "This is a
            fact, look at the situation now in East Timor. There
            are groups demonstrating, both pro and anti
            (Indonesia). There are disturbances, tensions and
            people are hurt. 

            "We are looking for a way out that is complete,
            peaceful and which can be accepted by the majority
            of the East Timor people, foreign nations and the
            United Nations. 

            "According to the government, this (can be done)
            through creating a special province based on
            extensive autonomy. This need not be done
            unilaterally but we are ready to negotiate about
            what that autonomy is with all sides." 

            Soares said he would not allow any demonstrations
            at all in the territory. 

            "We will ask those holding demonstrations to also
            stop... to leave it out. Let us have dialogue. 

            "If they refuse, they will be arrested. But I will ask
            the armed forces not to kill them. I have told those
            who are pro-integration there should no be more
            violence," he said without elaborating. 

            Demonstrations press on 

            Protests were held in Dili on Monday nevertheless. 

                                   Hundreds of East
                                   Timorese, riding on trucks,
                                   buses and motorcycles,
                                   toured the city of 130,000
                                   people demanding a
                                   referendum on
                                   independence and
                                   shouting "Viva Xanana,"
                                   referring to jailed guerrilla
            leader Xanana Gusmao. Gusmao is serving a
            20-year jail term in Jakarta for opposing Indonesia's
            rule. 

            Anti-riot troops and police blocked several roads
            leading to the governor's office. 

            Despite the protests, Dili was more or less
            peaceful, although many shops were closed for fear
            of further clashes between rival groups. 

            Three European envoys, in East Timor to assess
            the current situation, left for Baucau town to the
            east of Dili to meet Bishop Basilio dos
            Nasciemento. 

            He and Nobel laureate Bishop Carlos Belo are the
            only two bishops in East Timor. 

            The ambassadors are scheduled to meet Belo in
            Dili on Tuesday before heading back to Jakarta.
            Baucau residents said the town was calm. 

            Indonesia invaded East Timor, a territory of
            800,000 people, in 1975 soon after the Portuguese
            withdrew unilaterally. Hundreds of thousands of
            people were killed in the fighting and subsequent
            famine. 

            Human rights activists have said Indonesian troops
            shot more than 200 people in 1991 in a massacre
            in Dili. Indonesia's official inquiry said 50 unarmed
            protesters were shot in the incident.