The Jakarta Post, June 07, 2006
Alkatiri denies accusing RI of involvement
Yemris Fointuna, The Jakarta Post, Dili
Embattled Timor Leste Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri summoned Jakarta's envoy
Tuesday to deny media reports that he accused Indonesia of involvement in his
country's unrest.
Ambassador Ahmed Bey Sofyan said after the meeting that Alkatiri, who was
denounced by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Monday for the remarks,
stressed he never implicated Indonesia.
"In his clarification, Alkatiri said he told the journalists that there were suspicions of a
third party's role in the unrest but he never mentioned any country by name, including
Indonesia," Sofyan told The Jakarta Post in Dili.
"Alkatiri is ready to meet President Yudhoyono directly to clarify the matter if it is
needed."
Yudhoyono warned that the comments attributed to Alkatiri last week jeopardized
bilateral relations.
"I hope Timor Leste's prime minister is not diverting attention from the real issue, a
move that will only damage Indonesia's good name and the friendship we have,"
Yudhoyono said in Jakarta.
Meanwhile, AFP quoted a Metro TV executive as saying that reporter Desi Fitriani and
cameraman Munfadli received a warning Monday from a Timor Leste official known to
be close to Alkatiri.
"According to her (Desi), she received a telephone call from (energy secretary) Jose
Texeira, who warned her to quickly leave Dili because no one could guarantee their
safety," Metro TV's news manager Claudius Boekan told AFP.
Although Desi was not given further explanation, Boekan believed that "in essence,
there might have been some dissatisfaction regarding our news.
"I have asked Desi to stay put there while we look at the situation. If there is a real
threat, then we will pull them out."
Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said Saturday there was no evidence
that Indonesia was behind the latest unrest.
The latest violence began after Alkatiri dismissed 600 of the country's soldiers after
they went on strike to protest what they said was discrimination against those from
the west of the country.
People from the west are perceived as being more pro-Indonesia, a sensitive issue in
a country that fought a long guerrilla campaign to win independence from its larger
neighbor.
Twenty-one people died last month as sporadic battles between rival soldiers
descended into gang clashes and led the government to appeal for foreign help. More
than 2,000 combat-ready foreign peacekeepers, chiefly from Australia, have been
deployed in the capital Dili.
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