Militia attack on international staff in West Timor draws strong condemnation
6 September -- Today's fatal militia attack on three United Nations staff members in West Timor has drawn immediate and strong condemnation from world leaders and top UN officials.
Conveying the news this morning to heads of State and Government attending the opening of the UN Millennium Summit in New York, Secretary-General Kofi Annan said the tragedy underlined once again the dangers faced by unarmed humanitarian workers serving in conflict or post-conflict situations.
At Mr. Annan's request, the Assembly observed a moment of silence in honour of the "brave colleagues" -- an Ethiopian, an American, a Croat and a still-to-be-identified worker - who were killed in the attack in Atambua, West Timor. The three UN employees, who worked for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), were beaten to death by militia members, during a violent rampage triggered by a funeral procession for a slain militia leader. A fourth international aid worker was also reportedly killed,and many others injured, in the attack.
The incident also drew an immediate response from United States President Bill Clinton, who told the Summit that he was "deeply saddened" to learn of the brutal murder of the UN relief workers. "I urge the Indonesian authorities to put a stop to these abuses," he said.
At a press briefing some hours later in New York, UNHCR chief Sadako Ogata said that the attack had started "with a mob of militia-led people" attacking with machetes. They went around looking for international staff, she said. "It was a very, very barbaric act." The High Commissioner stressed that it was no longer time for words, but rather action and urged the President and Government of Indonesia to remove the militias from the camps and allow the refugees to return to East Timor or go elsewhere.
The attack prompted an urgent mid-day meeting between Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid, who was in New York for the Millennium Summit, and Mr. Annan. During the meeting, the Secretary-General strongly condemned the murders in West Timor and declared the security situation there to be "unacceptable." The Indonesian leader said he shared this view and told the UN chief that two additional battalions of the Indonesian Army had been ordered to Atambua, and that one of them was already on the way. When Mr. Annan welcomed that news and said he hoped the troops would have "robust rules of engagement," President Wahid assured him this was the case.
For their part, members of the Security Council expressed their "profound condolences" to the families and colleagues of the slain workers, and condemned "this outrageous and contemptible act against unarmed international staff," Council President Moctar Ouane of Mali told reporters after the Council's afternoon deliberations. Calling the security situation "serious," Council members urged Indonesia to take measures to end militia violence and ensure conditions of security in the camps. Members also insisted that those responsible for attacks on international personnel in East and West Timor be brought to justice.
In Dili, the head of the UN Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET), Sergio Vieira de Mello, said that the UN mission had succeeded in evacuating 44 aid workers - local and international staff from both UN and non-governmental organizations (NGO) - from West Timor shortly after the attack. UN and NGO staff in Kupang, the capital of West Timor, would be evacuated tomorrow to Dili, UNTAET said.
Mr. Vieira de Mello also warned that the staff would not return until the UN had a "credible demonstration" that the Indonesian Government is prepared to protect them and protect the refugees they are there to help. He said that the Indonesian Army and the Indonesian Police currently did not have sufficient resources in West Timor "to control the monster created in East Timor and which is now on the other side of the border." He urged Indonesia to restore its control over West Timor and to arrest and disarm the militia, noting that militia members constituted a greater threat to the security of Indonesia than to that of East Timor.
Echoing this view, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mary Robinson said she was "deeply concerned" for the safety of Indonesian relief staff, who may be exposed to acts of violence similar to today's attack because of their work with international aid organizations. Expressing sympathy with the families of the victims, and solidarity with surviving UNHCR staff, the High Commissioner said all UN personnel - international and local -- must be "effectively protected and thus be able to continue their much needed assistance without fear of retaliation or attack."
Echoing this view, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mary Robinson said she was "deeply concerned" for the safety of Indonesian relief staff, who may be exposed to acts of violence similar to today's attack because of their work with international aid organizations. Expressing sympathy with the families of the victims, and solidarity with surviving UNHCR staff, the High Commissioner said all UN personnel - international and local -- must be "effectively protected and thus be able to continue their much needed assistance without fear of retaliation or attack."
Since 1992, 193 UN civilian staff members have died in the course of their duties. In 1998, the number of UN civilian staff killed exceeded for the first time that of their military counterparts - out of a total of 52 UN fatalities, 29 were civilians.
