EAST TIMOR: EAST TIMORESE COUNT VOTES AFTER WHAT COULD BE THEIR LAST INDONESIAN ELECTION.
Record ID:
328439
EAST TIMOR: EAST TIMORESE COUNT VOTES AFTER WHAT COULD BE THEIR LAST INDONESIAN ELECTION.
- Title: EAST TIMOR: EAST TIMORESE COUNT VOTES AFTER WHAT COULD BE THEIR LAST INDONESIAN ELECTION.
- Date: 8th June 1999
- Summary: DILI, EAST TIMOR (JUNE 7, 1999) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. GV/MV/CU: VOTE COUNTING IN EVENING/ VOTE TALLY ON BOARD (7 SHOTS) 0.36 DILI, EAST TIMOR (JUNE 8, 1999) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 2. GV/MV: SECURITY AT ELECTION COMMISSION (3 SHOTS) 0.57 3. MV/MCU: INTERIOR ELECTION COMMISSION/ VOTES BEING TALLIED (2 SHOTS) 1.07 4. MCU: MAN ON PHONE 1.10 5. CU: SOUNDBITE (Bahasa Indonesia) GASTAR SARMENTO, CHAIRMAN OF ELECTION COMMITTEE IN TIMOR SAYING: "We have problems because of delays in communication and transport in remote areas." 1.23 6. MV: BOARD AND VOTES BEING TALLIED 1.29 7. MCU: SOUNDBITE (Bahasa Indonesia) SARMENTO SAYING: "We don't know when the final results will come out." 1.35 8. LV/GV/MV: WIDE GOLKAR PARTY HQ IN DILI/PEOPLE OUTSIDE (3 SHOTS) 1.44 9. GV: EXTERIOR INDONESIAN DEMOCRATIC PARTY-STRUGGLE (PDI-P) PARTY HEADQUARTERS 1.48 10. GV: PEOPLE OUTSIDE BUILDING 1.55 11. CU: SOUNDBITE (Bahasa Indonesia) ROLAND HUEA DAOL, CHIEF OF MEGAWATI OFFICE IN DILI, SAYING: "I wonder why the election commission is only picking up results in areas where Golkar is winning, from what I understand we are winning 60 per cent of the vote." 2.14 14. CU: PDI-P LOGO 2.17 12. MCU: SOUNDBITE (Bahasa Indonesia) DAOL SAYING: "I'm confident that we are winning here." 2.46 13. GV: GENERAL DILI/ PEOPLE/ SHOPS/ SECURITY ON STREET (6 SHOTS) 3.19 14. CU: SOUNDBITE (Tetum) WOMAN: "Whoever represents the people in East Timor, they will be in a responsible position and they should understand what people want." 3.43 15. MV: STREET SCENES 3.47 16. CU: SOUNDBITE (Tetum) WOMAN SAYING: "For East Timor a lot of people say that we are not capable (to rule ourselves) but give us a chance and we will prove that we can do it." 3.58 17. GV: GENERAL OF DILI 4.05 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 23rd June 1999 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: DILI, EAST TIMOR
- Country: Indonesia
- Reuters ID: LVABG61UVZFI4N2LZG17YUSCSGB0
- Story Text: East Timorese are counting up votes after what could be
their last Indonesian election.
Counting continued through the night in East Timor on
Monday (June 7) as the territory looks ahead to an August 8
referendum which could bring independence from Indonesian
rule.
Indonesia's main opposition party of Megawati
Sukarnoputri on Tuesday (June 8) took the early lead in
Indonesia's first free election in 44 years.
In East Timor, vote-counting was delayed by poor
infrastructure but there were no reports of the serious
election violence which many had expected.
"We have problems because of delays in communication and
transport in remote areas, " said Gastar Sarmento, chairman of
the election committee in Timor.
"We don't know when the final results will come out," he
said.
The mood, however, was one of obvious disinterest.
Some East Timorese say they were intimidated into taking
part in the vote by pro-Jakarta militias who have waged a
violent anti-independence campaign.
The militias were said to have been concerned that a low
turn-out would be interpreted as a rejection of Indonesian
rule.
But official voter registration figures for the
territory were the lowest of any Indonesian province.Only
about 44 per cent of eligible voters registered, according to
official figures.
Roland Huea Daol, Chief of Megawati's office in Dili
said he was confident of victory.
"I wonder why the election commission is only picking up
results in areas where Golkar is winning, from what I
understand we are winning 60 per cent of the vote," he said.
"I'm confident that we are winning here."
Indonesia invaded East Timor in 1975 and annexed it in
1976 in a move not recognised by the United Nations.Few
international poll observers are in East Timor because of its
disputed status.
The election is Indonesia's first democratic vote in 44
years and comes amid a crippling economic crisis.No single
party is expected to gain a majority in the new parliament,
and a coalition of reformers is considered the most likely
outcome.
"Whoever represents the people in East Timor, they will
be in a responsible position and they should understand what
people want," said one woman.
For many East Timorese, who have chafed against
Jakarta's rule for almost 24 years, the only election that
counts is their own, separate ballot on independence on August 8.
"For East Timor, a lot of people say that we are not
capable (to rule ourselves) but give us a chance and we will
prove that we can do it," the woman said.
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