East Timor Independence Vote Preparations 🇹🇱

(29 Aug 1999) English/Nat

On the eve of polling day, United Nations monitors in East Timor have begun preparing staff and voters for the historic referendum.

At a polling station in the capital, Dili, officials and voters were shown how the referendum should work.

Meanwhile, Indonesian security forces in the territory remain on high alert ahead of Monday's vote on independence or autonomy.

Police roadblocks are being set up across the capital in an attempt to curb the violence which has come to a head in recent days.

East Timor's pro- and anti-independence leaders agreed on Sunday to end years of bitter fighting as Indonesia's military and police promised to maintain security on the eve of a referendum on the future of the territory.

Under the U-N-brokered peace deal, thew rival parties agreed to keep armed supporters off the streets and allow the ballot to proceed peacefully.

But Indonesian security forces in East Timor remain on high alert ahead of Monday's vote on independence or autonomy.

Police roadblocks are being set up across the capital, Dili, in an attempt to curb the violence which has come to a head in recent days.

An Australian Catholic observer was detained when a roadblock found that three of his Indonesian companions were carrying weapons.

The three were arrested and taken away.

Despite the extra security measures, pro-independence supporters remain wary of clashes and are holding on to many of their weapons despite police attempts to confiscate them.

Monitors have accused police of doing little to stop the militias.

Despite widespread attacks no militiamen have been arrested.

Some witnesses claim police officers have helped militia forces attack pro-independence rivals.

On Saturday, Indonesian police representatives again denied U-N charges that they had turned a blind eye to, or even assisted bullying of pro-independence supporters.

They insisted they would arrest anyone caught with a weapon.

But the recent violence in the province has underlined the importance of the presence of United Nations overseers for Monday's referendum.

The U-N's job is to see that the vote is conducted in a fair and non-violent manner, but clashes in recent days between pro and anti independence factions have raised the stakes for Monday's ballot.

438-thousand voters are deciding on whether mainly Roman Catholic East Timor remains part of Muslim-dominated Indonesia as an autonomous region or takes full independence.

And while the usual diplomatic wrangling continues, polling stations were busy on Sunday, getting ready for what will surely be one of the most crucial days in the territory's history.

Vote monitors said they were making sure their staff were fully briefed on how to oversee and ensure a just and peaceful vote.

Both staff and prospective voters were shown on Sunday how the ballot would work, running through the processes of registration and voting.

International observers will be watching to see whether turnout is affected by the violent clashes in recent days.

Hundreds of journalists, observers and officials will also be on hand to witness the historic event.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"We are doing the exercise, we are doing the training and we are doing a simulation for the local staff so they don't - so it (the vote) works properly."
SUPER CAPTION: Hiraramani Gnimiri, UN voting monitor

Independence groups predict the vast majority of East Timorese want independence and accuse militia groups of intimidating potential voters.



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