East Timor

EAST TIMOR: UN CHIEF KOFI ANNAN VISIT

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• published: 21 Jul 2015
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Eng/Portu/Nat U-N Secretary General Kofi Annan left East Timor on Friday for Australia after spending an emotional 24 hours in the devastated former Indonesian province. He told a crowd of more than 5-thousand people in the capital Dili that he was taken aback by the level of destruction inflicted by pro-Indonesian militias. East Timor was destroyed after its people voted for independence in a UN-sponsored referendum on August 30 last year. A traditional East Timorese welcome for the U-N Secretary General, Kofi Annan in Dili, East Timor. He flew in from Jakarta on Thursday, where he stressed it was up to Indonesia to punish those responsible for the violence and destruction in East Timor. The East Timorese Independence leader, Xanana Gusmao accompanied Annan. Hundreds of people turned out to say their thanks to the U-N. Many were clutching banners calling for the murderers from the East Timorese post referendum violence to be punished. The territory was torn to pieces by the pro-Indonesian militias after people here voted for independence from Jakarta through a ballot in August last year. Annan addressed the people of Dili. He said he was aware of the civilian's needs. SOUNDBITE: (English) "You need jobs, you need shelter, you want those who are guilty to be brought to justice and I know that you are worried about crime, about family friends still in exile and about the slow place of recovery." SUPER CAPTION: Kofi Annan, U-N Secretary General On stage Annan was also joined by Jamshed Marker and U-N Special Representative to E.Timor. Annan and Gusmao then held a news conference in Dili. Gusmao thanked the U-N for its support. SOUNDBITE: (Portuguese) "I recognise the long stand of commitment from the secretary general. His visit here shows the confirmation of his commitment. I told him that I wouldn't be standing here today without this commitment. I would like to address you today and would like to receive an occasion to show the secretary general that we are ourselves committed to work with UNTAET." SUPER CAPTION: Xanana Gusmao, East Timorese leader The U-N Secretary General replied by saying that he had sought assurance from Jakarta over bringing to trial those responsible for the massacres following the territory's vote for independence. SOUNDBITE: (English) "I'm happy to say the Indonesian government itself and when I was in Jakarta recently I got adherence from the highest level of the government that all those responsible will be made accountable and brought to trial. So we are waiting for justice to be done. " SUPER CAPTION: Kofi Annan, U-N Secretary General Two separate investigations into the atrocities in East Timor have implicated top Indonesian military and police figures, including the now suspended security minister General Wiranto. SOUNDBITE: (English) "Those who committed the atrocities should be brought to justice. The Indonesian government is now in the process of doing that and the suspension of General Wiranto is seen as part of the judicial lay process." SUPER CAPTION: Kofi Annan, U-N Secretary General On Thursday, Annan received a hero's welcome in the town of Liquica, where the main street was renamed the Avenue of the Secretary General in his honor. He left Dili on Friday bound for Darwin. You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/ee3d60c88ec0aceb3b71a39038ebeabd Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork