Agreement to Allow for Vote on East Timor Independence

The foreign ministers of Indonesia and Portugal agreed Friday to hold a vote in East Timor that could determine whether the tiny province is integrated into Indonesia or granted independence.

Secretary-General Kofi Annan said the accord will be signed May 5 in New York, barring any last-minute changes by the Indonesian government. The accord will pave the way for a U.N.-administered vote in the province by early August.

It is unclear whether the agreement will halt violent clashes between pro-Indonesia militias and armed pro-independence groups. Fighting has escalated in recent weeks and continued even after a cease-fire agreement was signed by both sides Wednesday. Militias killed at least eight people this week.

About 200,000 East Timorese have died in fighting or from starvation since Indonesia invaded the former Portuguese colony in 1975. The United Nations still views Portugal as East Timor’s legal administrator, though Indonesia controls the province.

Portuguese Foreign Minister Jaime Gama, while saying his government is ready to sign the agreement immediately, expressed doubts about Indonesia’s promise to keep peace before and during elections. Gama said “it is crucial to restore peace in the territory” and to disarm as many as 20,000 pro-Indonesia militia members in East Timor.

Within days following the May 5 signing of the agreement, hundreds of U.N. election staff, monitors and other personnel are expected to head for the island. During balloting, that number could swell to several thousand.

Indonesian Foreign Minister Ali Abdullah Alatas said suggestions that the U.N. should send a peacekeeping force to the island were not discussed and would not be acceptable. He expressed confidence that an effective method would be found to stop the fighting.

Alatas also said that he expects the agreement to be signed, but that he has to gain the approval of the Indonesian Cabinet for additions on security and conduct of the elections.

Besides the need for security during elections, diplomatic sources said, roads must be kept opened, adequate transportation to polling places provided, and full information made available to voters about the ballot question.

Illustrating how delicate the negotiations have been, the election is being called a “consultation” rather than a referendum.

The question to be voted on is also tricky: Although it is billed as an “autonomy” package, a yes vote will mean recognizing and continuing ties with Indonesia. If the autonomy proposal is defeated, Indonesia promised in January to grant East Timor independence.

Nobel Peace Prize-winning pro-independence leader Jose Ramos Horta said Friday that if fair and proper balloting is allowed, he has no doubt that the 800,000 Timorese will overwhelmingly defeat the “so-called autonomy” offer and the government will then be forced to make good on its promise.

“Why would I want to join Indonesia? I’d rather join Mongolia. At least Mongolia never invaded us,” he said.