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TerrorismCentral Newsletter
-- For the week ending May 19, 2002 --

AUTHOR:
TerrorismCentral Editorial Staff

TITLE:
TerrorismCentral Newsletter - May 19, 2002

SOURCE:
TerrorismCentral, May 19, 2002

TEXT:

Our heartfelt congratulations and very best wishes to the people of East Timor, who have their own country at last. To celebrate the arrival of the first new nation of the millennium, this weeks feature article reviews the past and looks forward to the future of East Timor.

As always, this edition of the Newsletter is linked to selected data from the TerrorismCentral Library.


CONTENTS:

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK:

1. Africa
2. Americas
3. Asia Pacific
4. Europe
5. Middle East
6. South Asia
7. Cyberterrorism and Information Warfare
8. Finance
9. Human Rights
10 Law and Legal Issues
11. Narco-terrorism
12. Transportation
13. Weapons of Mass Destruction
14. Recently Published

FEATURE ARTICLE:
The Newest Nation: Welcome, East Timor!



NEWS HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK



1. Africa

Angola still faces embargoes on diamonds and oil, weapons and finance, but travel restrictions for the UNITA leaders have been lifted for 90 days to encourage them to communicate national reconciliation and support for the peace process. The government of Angola is being urged to trace missing revenue that is suspected of being diverted to arms. They are also under immediate pressure to improve the situation in demobilization camps where there are serious shortages of food and medical supplies.

Continued fighting in Congo between the government army and Ninja militias has displaced thousands of civilians, but legislative elections are still scheduled to proceed, following the re-election of President Nguesso two weeks ago.

In Democratic Republic of Congo, a mutiny by soldiers from the Rally for Congolese Democracy (RCS) killed five before being crushed by the main force. RCD has not been a party to the power-sharing agreement that was recently signed between the government and other rebel groups.

Liberian rebels from the Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD) have continued their push to the capital in their effort to remove President Charles Taylor, who has called up additional troops to stop the attacks. The government claims to have retaken Gbarnga, captured by LURD last week. Neighboring Nigeria and Senegal have called for a ceasefire and peace talks.

Madagascar, torn between rival presidential claims, is experiencing increasing ethnic violence, with disputes between the coastal supporters of former president Didier Ratsiraka and the highland supporters of newly inaugurated president Marc Ravalomanana. Ravalomanana has indicated he will use military force to remove the blockades that are shutting off the capital.

Malis General Amadou Toumani Toure, responsible for leading the 1991 army coup that ended Malis military dictatorship, has been elected president, following the second round of elections that gave him 64% of the vote.

Sierra Leone has held an historic vote in presidential elections that are hoped to end a decade of vicious civil war. In a huge turnout, incumbent president Ahmed Tejan Kabbah, leveraging credit for bringing peace to the troubled country, is far ahead in the initial vote counts. Meanwhile, RUF rebel leader Foday Sankoh began his trial for murder.

Confusion reigns in southern Somalia, where there has been renewed fighting but confused details regarding intervention by Ethiopian troops and the fate of militia leaders.

Sudan continues to suffer the advances of Ugandan rebels of the Lords Resistance Army, pursued by Ugandan government troops.


2. Americas

A 2-day summit between Central American states Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama and the European Union has ended with an agreement for expanded trade links.

Brazilian police officer Lieutenant Colonel Mario Pantoja has been jailed for 228 years for his role in the 1996 shooting of 19 Landless Movement (MST) protesters.

In court in Quebec, 12-year old Canadian Sikh Gurbal Singh has won the right to wear the kirpan, a ceremonial dagger, while at school.

In Colombia, at least 200 people have been killed in fighting between the leftist rebel Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and the right-wing paramilitary United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC). Government troops have also intervened against the FARC. In the forthcoming presidential elections, Alvaro Uribe, a right-wing anti-rebel candidate, leads in the polls.

Cuba hosted an historic visit from former President Jimmy Carter last week. Carter traveled freely around the island, met with dissidents, and played baseball with Fidel Castro. His speech, in Spanish was broadcast uncensored across the country. In it, he called for increased freedom within Cuba and the lifting of the US economic embargoes. This proposal was scorned by US President Bushs administration, which has insisted that Cuba is part of its "axis of evil" and responsible for developing biological weapons. Both Carter and US Secretary of State Powell deny that Cuba has biological weapons, although the country does have a pharmaceutical industry.

In Mexico, a truck loaded with 10 tons of cyanide was stolen and abandoned. When found, much of the load was missing. Investigations continue.

An investigation in Peru of the events surrounding the Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement siege of the Japanese embassy in 1997 has led to the arrest of 12 commandos, suspected of extra-judicial killings and other possible crimes committed after the hostages were freed.

In the United States, reigns over conflicting policies in Afghanistan and the Middle East, and a burgeoning controversy over the role of intelligence prior to the attacks of September 11. On the positive side, President Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin have signed an agreement to cut their nuclear arsenals and control weapons proliferation.

A new threat has been issued, citing increasing volume of messages received by intelligence, and the possibility of attacks on apartment buildings.

New York City Mayor Bloomberg has quietly announced May 30 as the conclusion of the recovery effort at the World Trade Center towers disaster site. And in Philadelphia, Preston Lit was arrested for a mailbox bomb.

The Oficina de Asesoria de la Asamblea Nacional in Venezuela has calculated the cost of the short-lived coup against President Hugo Chavez at over one billion dollars, rising from loss of economic activity including the strikes and direct damage from violence. Meanwhile, the US Department of State is investigating concerns over the role of US diplomats regarding the coup.



3. Asia Pacific

In Burma, Aung San Suu Kyi is taking advantage of her newfound freedom to rally international support and revive her political party, the National League for Democracy. She has been able to travel to a neighboring area, demonstrating that freedom of movement is real

Burma has now signed an agreement with Russia to proceed with the development of a nuclear reactor, to be used for research.

China and Kyrgyzstan have reached agreement on their border. In the agreement, Kyrgyzstan cedes land to China, despite violent anti-government protests against the move. Violentprotests in this region are likely to spread.

East Timor celebrates its independence as the first new country of the millennium. See our feature article for details.

Malaysian Prime Minister Mahatir Mohamad has met with US President Bush and government officials. He stressed Malaysias support for the "war on terrorism" while downplaying human rights issues, stating that democratic reforms can undermine countries like Malaysia.

Asylum seekers from North Korea have created general diplomatic disarray. North Korean refugees have slipped across the Chinese border then found or forced their way into foreign embassies, including those of Canada, Japan and Spain. This has led to conflicts with the role of Chinese officials in embassy grounds, as well as the complication of transporting the refugees to South Korea or other areas.

In the Philippines, Nur Misuari, leader of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), arrested on charges of inciting rebellion, waits the courts rulings on his petition to have the case dropped.


4. Europe

The European Union (EU) has ended a 2-day summit with Central American states Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama with an agreement for expanded trade links.

Now that the EU has accepted 13 Palestinian militants who were exiled as part of an agreement to end the occupation and standoff in the Church of the Nativity on the West Bank, the EU needs to determine their treatment. Currently in Cyprus, they are destined for six host countries: Belgium, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Portugal and Spain. They are likely to be treated as refugees, but details will be worked out over the next week or so.

In France, rioting occurred at a refugee camp following tightened security in the wake of widespread use of the Channel Tunnel for secret entry into the UK.

Irish voters brought a parliamentary victory to the ruling Fianna Fail party led by Prime Minister Bertie Ahern. Sein Fein also saw increased support, while opposition Fine Gael suffered significant losses. One of the newly elected was former IRA gunrunner, Martin Ferris.

In Milan, Italy, a gas cylinder was lit in a metro station, causing a localized fire. An Islamic message was found nearby. The anti-terrorism unit is investigating the incident.

Following the murder of Pim Fortuyn in the Netherlands, Dutch voters strongly supported his party, which came in second in the recent elections.

Russia participated in two important international agreements last week. A partnership with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was organized to enjoin Russian collaboration with NATO on security issues such as crisis management, arms control, and terrorism. Continuing their leadership of arms control efforts, Russia also entered into an arms reduction pact with the US that will reduce the nuclear arsenal by two-thirds over the next ten years.

Russia continues to defend its links with Iran and denies it is helping Iran develop nuclear weapons.

Spain has continued its crackdown on the Basque separatist group ETA. They have arrested two suspects linked to car bombings and other attacks and seized weapons and explosives. The trial of 17 accused members and associates of an ETA cell arrested in 1998, concluded with convictions and heavy sentences.

The government in the UK plans to build 15 centers to hold asylum seekers, as part of a crackdown on immigration. This proposal has led to widespread anger, particularly within the local communities where the centers would be sited. Controversy also continues over the role of British commandos in Afghanistan.

In Northern Ireland, violence has continued in areas of Belfast, whose residents complain of the lack of security measures. Loyalist paramilitary commander Johnny Adair has been released from prison. Martin Ferris, out of prison since 1994, has given up his gunrunning days and is now an elected representative of Sinn Fein to the Irish parliament. Accusations of IRA involvement and responsibility for ongoing violence in Colombia have continued.


5. Middle East

Arab leaders continue to press the US for clear leadership in the Middle East and continue to remain uncertain over their willingness to participate in an international conference given the current situation between the Palestinians and Israelis. General violence has continued with incursions into the occupied territories and suicide bombings.

In Algeria, a bomb in a crowded market has killed four. No one has claimed responsibility.

In the occupied Gaza Strip, the 26 Palestinians exiled there from the West Bank have been offered aid and government jobs. Israel has called off a planned military incursion for the moment.

The United Nations Security Council has unanimously approved a revised sanctions program against Iraq, that eases restrictions on civilian goods, while still tightening military products. Noting talks that Kurdish leaders have held with Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) representatives in the US, the government has massed tanks to avert a potential Kurdish uprising.

In Israel, the central committee of Prime Minister Sharons ruling Likud party has overwhelmingly voted against the creation of a Palestinian state. This vote challenges Sharon, US policy, and the prospect of peace. Sharon has demanded reforms of the Palestinian authority and the end of violence before considering any peace talks.

Israeli authorities have arrested six soldiers for alleged looting. They have also arrested two more suspects in connection with a Jewish extremist plot to blow up an Arab girls school

Reports from a British newspaper cite an al-Qaeda comander saying that al Qaeda was responsible for the synagogue attack in Tunisia last month.

In the occupied West Bank, Yasser Arafat is under pressure from within and without, to reform the Palestinian Authority (PA). He has begun visiting damaged areas, avoiding Jenin because of the security risks, but generally assessing the damage and the work to rebuild. He has called for elections, but suggests that free and fair elections could not be held under continued Israeli occupation. As events have unfolded, it has become clear that Arafat and the PA have limited influence over the other Palestinian groups active in the area.

In Yemen, Sameer Yahia Awadh has been sentenced to ten years in prison for the March grenade attack on the US embassy. He is appealing the conviction on psychological grounds.


6. South Asia

Military action continues in Afghanistan. Fighting is taking place among disparate groups that include Taliban, al-Qaeda, warlord supporters, and criminals, with civilians caught in the middle. Investment in security is urgently needed.

India and Pakistan are in a military stand-off that could erupt at any moment as tensions between the two nuclear nations continue to increase. An attack by Kashmiri militants killed 34, including many women and children, followed shortly thereafter by another attack that killed four soldiers. India has accused Pakistan on supporting the militants. In response to the attack, the Pakistani High Commissioner was expelled, and it seems likely that some military action will follow.

(For background on the conflict in Kashmir, see the Feature Article in the April 7 issue.)

Nepals fight with Maoist rebels continues, now supported by aid offered by the UK and US. This week, the government will ask parliament to approve a 6-month extension of emergency rule to support the continued military actions.

Pakistan is on a knife-edge with India over Kashmir and other attacks by Islamic militants. The government is investing in a new anti-terrorism taskforce, with new facilities, including a forensic lab, to support its efforts. Police have shot dead Riaz Basra, founder of the militant Islamic group Lashkar-e-Jhangvi. The trial of the alleged killers of Daniel Pearl continues, with a review of the videotape of the killing and now the discovery of Pearls dismembered body.


7. Cyberterrorism and Information Warfare

University of Cambridge researchers have discovered a new and inexpensive way to obtain information from smart cards, using exposure to light.


8. Finance

The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has estimated the cost of the September 11 attacks at approximately $500,000. Their estimate is based on information regarding bank accounts with estimates of cash reserves. They acknowledge no paper trail regarding the plot has yet been discovered; all these transactions were normal..


9. Human Rights

Conditions among prisoners held in Afghanistan are under intense scrutiny under accusations of severe mistreatment and starvation.

The United Nations Committee Against Torture has criticized Saudi Arabias application of Sharia Islamic law, that utilizes floggings and amputations.

Milan Martic, former Croatian Serb leader, and Mile Mrksic, former Yugoslav army general, have surrendered to the UN war crimes tribunal for Yugoslavia, in the Hague.


10. Law and Legal Issues

Loyalist paramilitary leader Johnny "Mad Dog" Adair has been released from prison in Ireland. Variously involved in the Loyalist Volunteer Force, the Ulster Freedom Fighters, and the Ulster Defense Association, he is a popular figure who says he will be working for the good of his community.

In Yemen, Sameer Yahia Awadh has been sentenced to ten years in prison for the March grenade attack on the US embassy. He is appealing the conviction on psychological grounds.

The trial of 17 accused members and associates of an ETA cell arrested in 1998, concluded in the High Court in Spain with convictions and heavy sentences. Inaki Bilbao received over three times the maximum sentence, with a 101-year prison term.

The trial of Bobby Frank Cherry, a former Ku Klux Klan member who is accused of the church bombing that killed three black girls in 1963, is underway in Alabama.

Noam Federman, member of the Kach party, and Menashe Levinger, have been arrested in Jerusalem in connection with a p0lot to blow up an Arab girls school.

Martin Ferris, who served ten years in a top security Irish jail for gunrunning, has been elected to the Irish parliament as a Sein Fein member.

Six Israeli soldiers have been indicted for suspected looting from Palestinians in the West Bank, including confiscating money at checkpoints and breaking into houses and stores during the recent military actions.

John Walker Lindhs attorneys, claiming the charges are groundless or against US law, have asked they be dropped. This motion could force a ruling on the detainees held in Quantanamo Bay and Afghanistan.

Preston Lit has been arrested in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US, for a package bomb placed inside a mailbox.

Milan Martic, former Croatian Serb leader, and Mile Mrksic, former Yugoslav army general, have surrendered to the UN war crimes tribunal for Yugoslavia, in the Hague.

In the Philippines, Nur Misuari, leader of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), arrested on charges of inciting rebellion, waits the courts rulings on his petition to have the case dropped.

Zacarias Moussaoui, on trial for his alleged role in the September 11 attacks, has refused to submit to psychiatric evaluation. The trial judge had ordered this to determine whether he would be allowed to represent himself in court, and his refusal may lead to his request for self-representation to be denied.
Brazilian police officer Lieutenant Colonel Mario Pantoja has been jailed for 228 years for his role in the 1996 shooting of 19 Landless Movement (MST) protesters.

The trial of the alleged killers of Daniel Pearl continues, with a review of the videotape of the killing and now the discovery of Pearls dismembered body.

RUF rebel leader Foday Sankoh began his trial for murder in Freetown, Sierra Leone.

In court in Quebec, 12-year old Canadian Sikh Gurbal Singh has won the right to wear the kirpan, a ceremonial dagger, while at school.

An investigation in Peru of the events surrounding the Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement siege of the Japanese embassy in 1997 has led to the arrest of 12 commandos, suspected of extra-judicial killings and other possible crimes committed after the hostages were freed.


11. Narco-terrorism

John Walters, the head of the US Office of National Drug Control Policy, says that the anti-drug advertising campaign has not only failed but may have encouraged drug use, in some cases. He has proposed testing ads before showing them. The newest campaign linking drug use to support of terrorism was not included in the evaluation of the older ads.



12. Transportation

Airlines and flight crews have had mixed reactions to the news that threat of terrorist hijackings was known by US authorities months in advance of the September 11 attacks. This will be part of a broader investigation into possible intelligence failures in the US.

In France, rioting occurred at a refugee camp following tightened security at the Channel Tunnel. This was needed due to widespread use of the tunnel for secret entry into the UK. In one event last week, 45 stowaways were arrested.


13. Weapons of Mass Destruction

Burma has now signed an agreement with Russia to proceed with the development of a nuclear reactor, to be used for research.

Countering statements from US President Bushs administration, both Carter and US Secretary of State Powell deny that Cuba has biological weapons. Cuba does have a pharmaceutical industry. Pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities can potentially be used to develop biological weapons..

In Mexico, a truck loaded with 10 tons of cyanide was stolen and abandoned. When found, much of the load was missing. Investigations continue.

Russia and the US entered into an arms reduction pact to will reduce the nuclear arsenal by two-thirds over the next ten years. Safeguards requested by Russia have not been fully implemented and the arms can be removed rather than destroyed. At the same time, the US is considering development of new nuclear weapons that can be used tactically on the battlefield.

Security of domestic nuclear plants used for energy production, their transportation and management of waste, has come under intense scrutiny and recent investigations by the US Senate.

Security at labs that store viruses is also under review.

The World Health Organization will postpone destruction of remaining smallpox virus stocks due to concerns of bioterrorism and the possible need for development of new vaccines.


14. Recently Published

Kingsolver, Barbara. Small Wonder. Faber and Faber.

Leebaert, Derek. The Fifty-Year Wound: The True Price of Americas Cold War Victory. Little Brown.

Mackey, Sandra. The Reckoning: Iraq and the Legacy of Saddam Hussein. Norton.

Weight, Richard. Patriots: National Identity in Britain 1940-2000. Macmillan.


FEATURE ARTICLE:

The Newest Nation: Welcome, East Timor!

Our heartfelt congratulations and very best wishes to the people of East Timor, who have their own country at last. (A special thank you to the BBC World Service and the United Nations Foundation for the live webcast of the colorful -- and very moving -- independence ceremony.)

To celebrate the arrival of the first new nation of the millennium, this weeks feature article reviews the past and looks forward to the future of East Timor.

A quiet island between the Indian and Pacific oceans, East Timor was governed as a Portuguese colony for over 450 years. As with other Portuguese colonies, (note our recent article on Angola), Portugal withdrew after their 1975 revolution.

Shortly after this withdrawal, Indonesia invaded and annexed the island. Indonesia had been a Dutch colony, achieving its independence from the Netherlands in 1949. Culturally the two countries had little in common. The former Dutch colony, with its Bahasa Indonesian language and other local dialects, has a largely Muslim population. East Timor, predominantly Christian, speaks the local Tetun language and the Portuguese of its former colonial power.

Indonesia was interested in East Timors geographic proximity and strategic position in an important sea route. Encouraged (and armed) by the US, (whose cold-war interests urged it to avoid a possible communist-backed government in East Timor and who wanted access to the Timor Gap, for deep underwater submarine transit), Indonesia lost no time in moving in.

In East Timor, the Indonesians met a determined guerilla force and a resentful, uncooperative population. In the violence and starvation that followed the annexation, around 200,000 were killed -- a quarter of the population. Vicious intimidation continued, as Indonesia unsuccessfully tried to control the rebellious people.

Xanana Gusmao, a poet who worked in the local Portuguese administration, had become involved with the Fretilin party (the Revolutionary Front for an Independent East Timor) during the Portuguese withdrawal. In 1979 he assumed leadership of the East Timorese rebel forces, the Falintil.

For the next 13 years, Gusmao built the independence forces, helping them recover from the damage inflicted at the time of the Indonesian invasion, and led the movement from their mountain shelters. In 1992 he was captured by Indonesian authorities, arrested, convicted of subversion, and sentenced to life in prison. Under international pressure -- due in no small part to his popularity and charisma -- this was later reduced to 20 years. In 1999, he was moved from prison to house arrest.

While Gusmao was in prison, the independence movement continued. Popular, articulate spokesmen Jose Ramos Horta and Bishop Carlos Belo led the charge with international campaigns against the occupation. They were awarded the Nobel peace prize in 1996. Portugal, still the recognized administrator, strongly supported the independence movement and undertook persistent international lobbying for support of the cause of East Timor. Some people (particularly journalists) in Australia, home to many East Timorese refugees, also supported the independence movement.

A combination of political changes and economic troubles gave Indonesia incentive to resolve the long-running conflict. In 1999, Portugal and Indonesia reached agreement to offer the East Timorese a referendum to choose between local autonomy still as part of Indonesia or full independence.

Outraged by this possibility, pre-Indonesian militants began vicious attacks on the general population. In April, 25 were hacked to death in a churchyard, and the intimidation continued. Despite the violence, 99% of the population turned out to vote.

Immediately following the vote, the violence exploded. The militia, helped by the Indonesian military (including Indonesias special elite forces, the Kopassus), reduced the country to ruins, killed members of the United Nations, and murdered hundreds of civilians. Over 200,000 fled to the west to escape the terror.

In September, an international peacekeeping force finally arrived. The final election results showed 78.5% of the voters favored independence. Gusmao was freed from house arrest and by October, the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor took charge of administering the country.

The UN now presided over a country whose infrastructure was completely destroyed. The buildings were leveled, industry eliminated, farmlands burned out, hundreds of thousands displaced, maimed, and murdered, leaving behind a legacy of trauma.

International investment gradually helped to stabilize East Timor to provide enough security to bring home the refugees and to prepare for elections and independence. The Constituent Assembly was elected in August 2001, dominated by the Fretilin party and led by Chief Minister Mari Alkatiri. A new constitution, based on the Portuguese, was adopted.

On April 14 of this year, the first presidential elections were held. Xanana Gusmao, hero of the independence movement, was overwhelmingly elected, with 82.7% of the vote. And at midnight -- the first hour of May 20, 2002 -- the United Nations formally turned authority to the elected officials, and President Gusmao was inaugurated.

The new countrys challenges are formidable. Urgent needs include education, maintaining a stable government administration, rebuilding the economy, and reconciling the past.

East Timors population of 800,000 is the poorest in Asia and one of the poorest in the world. The population is fragmented. Under occupation, the Indonesian language was imposed, and many young people have been professionally trained, but older people, including the freedom fighters, rely on Portuguese. The local language, Tetum, is the national tongue, but Portuguese will be used by the government (it was a condition for significant aid from Portugal). English is the preferred language for international trade.

The government needs to reconcile the dominant Fretilin party and the Democratic Union of Joao Carascalao, which were rivals before the Indonesian invasion, and will be again. Constitutional government and the rule of law need to lead to political stability. With the Falintil guerillas retrained into a national army, and continued help from the UN, security must be assured. East Timor is likely to still face problems at its still evolving borders.

With political stability, East Timor can begin to rebuild its economy. Extensive international aid is essential in order to rebuild the infrastructure and help carry the costs of the government until regular revenues have been developed. The employment rate is only 17%.Over half of the people live on $.55 per day.

Coffee has been East Timors main crop, and there is room to expand it. Sandlewood used to provide a lucrative trade in lumber, but Indonesia stripped the supply. Other agricultural products can be developed, but East Timor is prone to drought and this would not be a reliable source of income, though it is likely they could grow enough rice and other crops to reduce or eliminate the reliance on imports. Fishing is also available.

In the near term, East Timor can generate some additional income through tourism and the handcrafted textiles made by the skilled local weavers. In the longer term, oil and gas reserves from the Timor Gap will be the main source of income. Agreements with Indonesia and Australia will be in place soon. However, these fields will not be online until 2004. International aid must help bridge this gap. Current donations amount to $440 million -- a good start.

The history of violence will be the most difficult to overcome. East Timorese who were part of the pro-Indonesia militias will likely be brought to trial, but Gusmao has made it clear that he wants to re-integrate society, not demonize people or events of the past. Some form of commission, like the truth and reconciliation effort in South Africa, will occur.

Indonesia also needs to reconcile with the past. President Megawati Sukarnoputri bravely attended the independence celebrations and has accepted the hand of friendship offered by Gusmao. The people of Indonesia, like their victims, need to come to terms with the reality of the brutality perpetrated by the Indonesian military. A human rights trial is underway, trying 18 (3 generals, leaders of militia gangs, and the former governor) for crimes against humanity perpetrated in East Timor in 1999. The military leader at that time, General Wiranto, has not yet been held accountable for his role in the atrocities.

Indonesia faces internal concerns, too. The government does not feel that the independence of East Timor sets a precedent, but its rebellious provinces, particularly Aceh and West Papua may not agree.

Let us hope that the mutual trust and confidence that Presidents Gusmao and Megawati Sukarnoputri have put in place can spread, and set an example for the peace and prosperity of the region.


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PUBLICATION DATE:
May 19, 2002

DATE:
20020519