UN mission in East Timor suggests power sharing arrangements
30 May -- A top official in the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET) today suggested a period of co-government between the UN and the East Timorese prior to a full transfer of authority.
Speaking at the opening of the Conference on the Reconstruction of East Timor, the director of UNTAET's Political Affairs Office, Peter Galbraith, said that the sharing of power would involve a cabinet in which international and East Timorese "ministers" would provide policy direction to the civil service.
The precise allocation of portfolios would be a matter of consultation and negotiation, Mr. Galbraith said, adding that UNTAET would retain only the portfolios related to foreign affairs, defence and justice. "Over time, East Timorese would assume all but the functions UNTAET constitutionally must retain."
Mr. Galbraith also said the creation of the new government structure would provide an excellent opportunity to expand the role of the National Consultative Council (NCC), the territory's main decision-making body. "The NCC will continue in its role in the review and approval of proposed regulations, UNTAET's equivalent of statutes," he said. "Both the East Timorese and international ministers should be accountable to the NCC, answering questions from NCC members and appearing at hearings."
Meanwhile in West Timor, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reported today that East Timorese refugees and local residents near Kupang have been fighting with sticks, stones and knives over the past three days, illustrating the growing resentment by West Timorese towards the refugees living on their territory.
In a briefing to the press in Geneva, UNHCR spokesman Kris Janowski said the fighting at the Tuapukan camp outside of Kupang had prevented the agency's staff from operating. Nine houses were burned during the clashes, but no major casualties were reported, he said, adding that the Tuapukan camp was the largest refugee camp for East Timorese in West Timor, housing about 15,000 people.
"We have expressed our concerns to Indonesian officials about the growing resentment by local residents about the presence of the refugees in the camps controlled by pro-Indonesian elements," the spokesman said. He added that repatriation to East Timor continued to be slow, with only 465 returns over the past week.
