Also: Former official predicts more popular resistance to UN

BBC Summary of World Broadcasts UN peacekeepers face opposition to inquiry into soldier's death

Antara news agency, Jakarta, in Indonesian 7 Aug 00

Excerpts from report by Indonesian news agency Antara web site

Atambua: East Timorese refugees and former members of the Integration Fighters Force (PPI) have rejected the UN Peacekeeping Force (PKF) conducting investigations in Indonesia in relation to the shooting of PKF soldier Leonard Manning in Suai, East Timor.

Their protests included the mobilization of more than 8000 East Timorese to confront the PKF in Betun, Central Malaka subdistrict, Belu District in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) on Saturday (5th August) where it was planned investigations would take place.

Antara monitors observed that thousands of East Timorese from a number of refugee camps in Belu District, who were being led by former members of the PPI, formed a convoy to a public ground in Betun...

The protesters, when told investigations would be moved to the border area of Metamauk, Kobalima subdistrict, Belu District, decided they would head there.

However, they were stopped by TNI [Indonesian National Military Forces] Battalion Commander of 502/Malang Airborne Army Strategic Reserve Command Maj Besar Harto Karyawan in an attempt to maintain peace at the border area of Metamauk-Suai.

The East Timorese were waiting for a response to their request that the PKF not investigate the case in Indonesia as the shooting incident occurred in East Timor. ..

BBC Summary of World Broadcasts August 08, 2000, Tuesday

Former official predicts more popular resistance to UN

Source: 'Jawa Pos' web site, Surabaya, in Indonesian 6 Aug 00

Excerpts from report by Indonesian newspaper 'Jawa Pos' web site on 6th August

Kupang: The East Timor community was beginning to mount opposition to the CNRT (National Council of Timorese Resistance), UNTAET (UN Transitional Administration in East Timor) , and the UN Peacekeeping Force (PKF), due to impatience and dissatisfaction with the attitude and behaviour of those organizations.

This was proven by the recent occurrences of incidents of shoot-outs and confrontations with the PKF in several places by East Timorese whom the PKF was calling extremists, according to former East Timor official Nicholay, speaking in Kupang on Sunday [6th August]...

He said that this popular resistance was due to the disappointment of East Timorese with conditions in the country at present.

Before the poll, East Timorese had been regaled with enticing promises from CNRT about how good things would be if independence were gained. However, the reality of independence was bitter for a majority of them, with basic necessities in short supply and expensive, and unemployment rife.

Over its 23 years of integration with Indonesia, the East Timorese had been "spoilt" by the Indonesian government, given preferential treatment compared with other Indonesian provinces.

Based on current experience, the majority of East Timorese regarded independence as no different from the colonial domination endured under the Portuguese.

The politics of resistance now evident showed that the East Timorese were not ready for independence, because their [established] pattern of existence was the pattern of dependency.

He said that East Timor - whether from the perspective of its natural resources or its human resources - was not yet able to become independent and, if it tried to force the issue, would become a puppet of another country [which country not stated].

Nicholay predicted that the resistance movement would spread in East Timor in the coming period as a result of this disappointment.

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