Security in Oecussi enclave to be high priority for UN mission
in East Timor: INTERFET
10 February - Ensuring security in the Oecussi enclave would be a “high priority” for the incoming United Nations force in East Timor, according to the latest report by the International Force in East Timor (INTERFET), which is now handing over its responsibilities to UN peacekeepers.
In its report to the Security Council covering roughly a two-month period through the end of January 2000, INTERFET described the situation in East Timor as generally “benign” and “under control”, with the exception of the Oecussi enclave. It said that militia groups operating from West Timor continued to “pose an unacceptable threat to peace and security” in some parts of the enclave’s border regions.
That threat, the report said, reinforced the appropriateness of a mandate under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, which provides for the use of force, for both INTERFET and the UN Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET). The cross-border nature of the militia actions underscores the need for this matter to be resolved primarily by the Government of Indonesia, INTERFET said.
Meanwhile, in West Timor, militia intimidation and misinformation campaigns in refugee camps continued to deter displaced people from returning to East Timor. Estimating the number of remaining refugees to be around 120,000, INTERFET said it was working closely with the UNTAET and East Timorese leaders to counter misinformation about expectations of life in the territory.
The report also expressed concern over the living conditions and the increasing number of deaths in the refugee camps.
