A woman and her child flee from milita fire
Kofi Annan, 48 hours to restore order
Mary Robinson, Emergency UN reaction forces needed
The United Nations Security Council has said it will not approve any foreign military intervention in East Timor, without the permission of Indonesia. Pressure has been mounting on Jakarta to end the terror that has forced a mass exodus from East Timor, which is now under martial law. The Indonesian authorities have also freed jailed separatist leader Xanana Gusmao, but just hours after his release he made an impassioned plea to the world to help halt what he called "the genocide of his people".
Latest reports coming out of East Timor say the tiny territory is descending deeper into anarchy with anti-independence gangs continuing to rampage through the capital, Dili. Indonesia has imposed martial law and a shoot-on-sight curfew in the region. But international anger is growing over what is seen as the Indonesian military's incitement of the bloodshed that has left hundreds of people dead in recent days. The territory's spiritual leader, Bishop Carlos Belo, who fled to Australia under an alias, has accused the Indonesian military of being behind anti-independence militias who have gone on a killing spree in East Timor. Refugees fleeing Dili claim the violence has continued unabated with people being terrorised into leaving the city, while pro-Jakarta gangs roamed the streets burning or looting buildings as part of an apparent scorched-earth campaign.
The United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan, today gave the Indonesian authorities forty-eight hours to restore order in East Timor. Australia says it is prepared to lead an international peacekeeping force if the killing is not stopped. The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mary Robinson, said there should be emergency reaction forces at the disposal of the UN in circumstances like this. This morning, Ireland's Minister for Foreign Affairs David Andrews urged the United States to use its influence with Indonesia to restore law and order in East Timor, or to allow the international community to intervene. He made his comments in a phone conversation with the US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright this morning. Mr Andrews said that Mrs Albright confirmed to him that she was sending one of her senior military advisors to Jakarta to discuss the situation in East Timor with the Indonesian defence minister General Wiranto. The UN believes that between one quarter and one third of East Timor's population is being moved out of the territory.
The British Foreign Secretary, Robin Cook, criticised Indonesia for imposing martial law in East Timor, and said that Britain was ready to back an international peacekeeping force in the territory. Jakarta declared martial law after days of escalating street violence in which hundreds of people have been killed. The announcement followed a meeting between the UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, and the Indonesian President, BJ Habibie. A five-member UN mission is due in Jakarta for talks with the government. Australia held talks with the United States last night to discuss sending troops into East Timor. Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said their troops had been put on 24-hour standby to go into the province. Mr Downer said these troops would lead a UN sanctioned force to go into East Timor if martial law did not end the violence.
