Annan's proposals, contained in a report to the UN Security Council, also call for 1,640 police and a large contingent of civilian officials to be sent to administer East Timor. Troops in the International Force for East Timor (Interfet), mandated by the UN Security Council, began their intervention September 20. East Timor, previously a Portuguese colony, had been under Indonesian military occupation since 1975, when Jakarta invaded with imperialist backing to prevent the East Timorese from consolidating their newly-won independence.

A UN-organized referendum on August 30 saw a landslide vote in favor of independence. Following the announcement of the poll result September 4, the Indonesian military, and "militia" gangs organized and backed by the military, unleashed a reign of killing, burning, and looting against the population. This provided the pretext for Washington, the Australian government in Canberra, and other imperialist powers to mount their intervention.

Most Indonesian forces withdrew in the initial stages of the intervention, leaving about 1,500 troops and police. After securing their presence in the capital Dili, Interfet forces have begun to fan out to other parts of the country. About 1,000 troops began moving towards the border with Indonesian West Timor for the first time October 1. Many of the militia gangs retreated to West Timor with the departing Indonesian army. Interfet Commander, Australian Maj. Gen. Peter Cosgrove, warned that his forces could cross into West Timor if their security was "threatened."

Small groups of militia continue to operate inside East Timor. Interfet forces fought a brief gun battle with militia in the northeast on September 29. In a clash with Australian troops October 6, two alleged militai members were killed near the West Timor border.

The imperialist troops have also disarmed and detained a number of pro-independence Falintil guerrillas. Falintil, the armed wing of the independence movement in East Timor, numbering several thousand fighters, has waged a guerrilla struggle against the Indonesian military occupation for the past 24 years.

An agreement between Interfet and Falintil leaders was reached October 5 that the guerrillas would not bear arms outside their own areas. This followed a confrontation between Australian troops and 30 Falintil fighters southeast of Dili October 4, when the Australian forces attempted to take the guerrillas' weapons. The Falintil militants refused to be disarmed, saying they were protecting East Timorese.

Maj. Gen. Cosgrove declared October 5 that he would be pressing "in the strongest possible terms" for Falintil to be disarmed. His statement was rejected by East Timorese leaders Jose Ramos-Horta and Xanana Gusmao, the commander of Falintil. "We would consider it to be an affront if they attempt to disarm" the guerrillas, said Ramos-Horta, since Falintil "provided protection for the hundreds of thousands of East Timorese people in the mountains..."

Up to 500,000 East Timorese, out of a population of 850,000, are reported to be continuing to live in makeshift camps in the territory's tropical forests and hills. Up to 250,000 are reportly held in camps in West Timor where they fled or were herded by withdrawing Indonesian troops and militia. Most towns and villages remain largely deserted, with houses and buildings, especially in the western half of the country, burnt or destroyed.

Thailand's Maj. Gen. Songkitti Chakkabatr arrived in East Timor October 6 to take up his post as deputy-commander of Interfet. The first contingent of Thai troops was due to follow. There are now around 5,000 Interfet troops in East Timor. The New Zealand government is increasing its forces there to a battalion of 800 troops by the end of the month. They are expected to be joined by a Canadian infantry company. There are more than 2,500 Australian troops in East Timor, with the number due to grow to 4,500.

Michael Tucker is a member of the Service and Food Workers Union in Auckland.  
 
 
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