UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL
The Question of East Timor
Statement by H.E. Ms Penny Wensley, Ambassador and Permanent Representative
11 September 1999
Mr President,
Australia has watched with growing alarm and concern the developments that have unfolded in East Timor over the last week. We are now facing a serious crisis.
Law and order has completely broken down. Murder, arson, looting and acts of violence and intimidation against innocent civilians continue unpunished. Armed militia are running rampant, with elements of the Indonesian security forces standing by and making no attempt to intervene. As the Secretary-General said yesterday, and again today, the situation is descending into a state of anarchy.
A humanitarian crisis is emerging. Hundreds of thousands of people have been forced out of their homes. Many have been forced to leave East Timor. Those that remain are subject to continued harassment and intimidation. The provision of humanitarian assistance has halted because aid workers are no longer safe.
UNAMET is now at the point where it has to consider withdrawing completely from East Timor. Officials of the Australian Consulate in Dili were also withdrawn two days ago because we could no longer be assured of their safety.
This deplorable situation has arisen because of the failure of the Indonesian military to honour Indonesia's commitment to provide security in East Timor for the UN consultation and transition process. We call on Indonesia to agree immediately to the deployment of a UN-authorised international force to provide the necessary security for UNAMET to resume its role.
Mr President
Let's not forget what the United Nations is doing in East Timor, and why it is there. It is there because it was asked -by the Government of Indonesia, as well as the Government of Portugal -to play a role in implementing the historic agreement between those two countries on resolving the question of East Timor. It was invited by the Government of Indonesia to assist in the implementation of the popular consultation of the East Timorese people.
We call on the Indonesian Government to give an unequivocal commitment to respect the result of the 30 August ballot and to expedite the transfer of control of East Timor to the United Nations, in accordance with the provisions of the 5 May Agreement.
In the immediate future, the most urgent task is to restore security in East Timor. The restoration of peace and security in the territory remains, indisputably, the responsibility of the Government of Indonesia. Indonesia must do everything in its power to stop the violence, bring the militias under control, allow the return of internally displaced persons, and begin the process of restoring normality to the territory. And this must happen -immediately.
We are concerned at the discredit that the actions of the Indonesian military are bringing to Indonesia as a whole. We have made it clear to Indonesia -one of our nearest neighbours -that we are ready to help. We are ready to contribute to, and to lead, a multi-nation security force to assist Indonesia to restore law and order and to enable the full return of the United Nations. A number of other concerned countries -from our own region and from further afield -have said they are ready to join us.
But we need Indonesia's cooperation.
The Secretary-General said in his statement yesterday, and reiterated today, that the time had come for Indonesia to seek the help of the international community and in the form of such an international force. My Government agrees, and we are ready to play our part.
We are also working with our UN partners and NGOs to address the disastrous humanitarian situation. On 9 September Australia announced an urgent package of humanitarian assistance for the East Timorese people as an initial response to this crisis. We are ready to provide further assistance as soon as the security situation permits and we obtain a better picture of the needs of people throughout Timor.
Mr President
A great deal has been invested in the popular consultation of the East Timorese people. We have all recognised it as an historic opportunity. And so a great deal stands to be lost. The East Timorese people have expressed themselves overwhelmingly in favour of independence. The failure of the international community to support them in the realisation of that goal would amount to turning our backs on them.
Australia, for one, can not and will not do that. We urge Indonesia, as a friend and neighbour, not to do so. And we pledge our readiness to assist them in restoring peace and security to the territory, and to creating the conditions in which the East Timorese people can rebuild their lives in accordance with the wishes that they expressed so clearly in the popular consultation.
Mr President
More broadly, I should say that Australia welcomes the important changes that have occurred in Indonesia during the past year, particularly the democratic elections that were held 7 June. The Indonesian economy is now beginning to recover from the impact of the East Asian financial crisis. Australia's interest is in an Indonesia which is successful and constructively engaged with the international community, not an Indonesia isolated and disadvantaged through confrontation over East Timor.
Thank you