EAST TIMOR: DILI: CALL TO END TO HOSTILITIES

(9 Oct 1999) English/Nat

The commander of the multinational force in East Timor has appealed to the leaders of the militia and the Falintil pro-independence rebels to lay down their arms and participate in the U-N transitional administration that will take control of the territory.

The call for an end to hostilities comes as the U-S begins a major expansion of its role in the peacekeeping effort in East Timor, with the deployment of transport helicopters, and specialist teams for communications and civil-military affairs.

Meanwhile, U-N humanitarian workers said that the number of people who fled to Indonesian-held West Timor during a campaign of terror waged last month by anti-independence militias, may have been significantly higher than first reported.

General Peter Cosgrove, who heads the multinational task fore in East Timor, said his plan for peace involves disarmament and reconciliation, and the progressive introduction of government institutions to begin the process of nation-building.

Speaking at a news conference in the East Timorese capital, Dili, on Saturday, he said the guerrillas had expressed support for the proposal.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"This was a process that was exposed to Mr Matan Ruak (Falintil leader) yesterday, with my endorsement that we immediately start, if you like, talks about talks, but leading onto substantive achievements in trust, in laying down our arms, in the participation in the process of nation-building and creating the institutions of government, and in extending the hand of friendship to the militia. I want to point out that this approach is very much bipartisan and impartial on our part in that our hand is extended out fully to the militia, and I use every means at my disposal the bring out the message to the militia."
SUPER CAPTION: General Peter Cosgrove, Interfet commander

He said he hoped negotiations would start soon, so that all those who wanted to remain and live in East Timor could do so in peace.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"Here is a golden opportunity to get in on the ground of negotiations. This is something that the militia ought to seize. There are so many people in the militia who want to live in East Timor. And the way to do it is to live at peace through negotiation."
SUPER CAPTION: General Peter Cosgrove, Interfet commander

The push towards negotiating terms of reconciliation within the troubled province comes at a time when the U-S are beefing up their contribution to the peacekeeping force.

Marine Corps Brigadier General John Castellaw, the commander of the U-S contingent in East Timor, announced at Saturday's briefing that four C-53 Sea Stallion helicopters would be deployed to provide the heavy lift that the Australian-led force has so far lacked.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"We are providing highly technical support but we are also providing brute force in terms of the (air) lifters, both helicopter and stat lifters. So I think we provide more, if you just want to count numbers. Its a significant contribution and once again underlies the United States' support for peace and democracy, not only here but in other parts of the world."
SUPER CAPTION: Brigadier General John Castellaw, U-S Marine Corps

The U-S presence on the ground is also being augmented by the arrival of 120 U-S Army communications specialists and two dozen experts in civil-military affairs.

But the U-S government has so far been wary of getting too involved in the peacekeeping effort, and senior officials repeatedly have stressed that its armed forces are being over extended due to commitments elsewhere in the world.






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