Security Council delegation concludes visit to East Timor and Indonesia
17 November -- The delegation of the United Nations Security Council that was visiting Indonesia and East Timor this week to review the implementation of Council's decisions related to the newly independent territory, concluded its five-day trip today stressing the need for justice and reconciliation.
During a meeting in Jakarta with Indonesian Attorney General Marzuki Darusman, Council delegates underscored the need to move expeditiously on cases related to East Timor in order to assist the cause of reconciliation.
In a statement to the press after the meeting, the leader of the Council delegation, Ambassador Martin Andjaba of Namibia, said "the twin tracks of justice and reconciliation are key to resolution of the current situation."
Ambassador Andjaba welcomed Indonesia's efforts to address the situation in West Timor -- an area hosting thousands of Timorese refugees where three United Nations aid workers were killed in September. "But much remains to be done, and the international community is prepared to work in cooperation with Indonesia to meet the remaining challenges," he said.
While welcoming the fact that several hundred refugees have returned from West Timor in recent weeks, Ambassador Andjaba emphasized that persisting intimidation there must be stopped. "Many refugees are saying they are frightened that they still do not have a free choice about their own future, and security in the camps remains uncertain," he observed, adding that "decisive action is needed to deal with the remaining militias." The team welcomed Indonesia's commitment to addressing the problem of intimidation.
Stressing the high priority of resuming international assistance to the refugees, Ambassador Andjaba noted that "for this to happen the security of international humanitarian workers will need to be assured."
In addition to Namibia, the seven-member delegation included representatives from Argentina, Malaysia, Tunisia, Ukraine, the United Kingdom and the United States. The team is expected to report on its trip to the Security Council on Monday.
