INDONESIA: EAST TIMORESE SEPARATIST REBELS EMERGE FROM THE MOUNTAINS SURRENDING THEIR WEAPONS TO UNITED NATIONS
Record ID:
450980
INDONESIA: EAST TIMORESE SEPARATIST REBELS EMERGE FROM THE MOUNTAINS SURRENDING THEIR WEAPONS TO UNITED NATIONS
- Title: INDONESIA: EAST TIMORESE SEPARATIST REBELS EMERGE FROM THE MOUNTAINS SURRENDING THEIR WEAPONS TO UNITED NATIONS
- Date: 30th September 1999
- Summary: DILI, EAST TIMOR (INDONESIA) (SEPTEMBER 30, 1999) (REUTERS) 1. SLV FALINTIL TIMORESE SEPARATIST GUERRILLAS ARRIVING IN CARS AND MOTORCYCLES 0.10 2. MCU/CU GUERRILLAS TALKING (2 SHOTS) 0.28 3. SLV GATE TO TURISMO HOTEL, APC DRIVING PAST 0.37 4. SV U.N. TROOPS OUTSIDE TURISMO, SHAKING HANDS WITH FALINTIL MEMBERS (3 SHOTS) 1.02 5. MCU GUERRILLAS HOLDING MOBILE PHONES 1.08 6. MCU GUERRILLAS TALKING TO U.N. SOLDIERS 1.15 7. SV INTERIOR OF HOTEL WITH U.N. TROOPS AND FALINTIL 1.21 8. MCU GUERRILLAS 1.32 9. SV BOYS HOLDING UP SIGN OF TIMORESE RESISTANCE GROUP 'CNRT' 1.38 10. MCU OF BOYS SHOWING VICTORY SIGN WITH FINGERS/ RAISED FIST (2 SHOTS) 1.48 11. SV MAJOR-GENERAL PETER COSGROVE APPROACHING MEDIA 1.53 12. MCU (English) MAJOR-GENERAL PETER COSGROVE, COMMANDER OF INTERFET (INTERNATIONAL FORCE FOR EAST TIMOR), SAYING "Any move by any of the factions here to enter the mainstream of life, community life, rather than the rule of the gun is to be applauded and I would really encourage the other side, the militia side, to similarly enter into negotiations. To me, this is a tremendous first step." 2.18 13. SV/CU BOXES OF WEAPONS (2 SHOTS) 2.25 14. SV U.N. SOLDIERS CHECKING BOX OF GRENADES 2.31 15. SV/CU BOX OF ANTI-TANK WEAPONS (4 SHOTS) 2.42 16. SV/CU MORE BOXES OF GRENADES (2 SHOTS) 2.51 17. SV BOXES BEING LOADED ONTO TRUCK (4 SHOTS) 3.12 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 15th October 1999 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: DILI, EAST TIMOR, INDONESIA
- Country: Indonesia
- Reuters ID: LVADAXTU5SIIMHWYK06WQTRFCBXF
- Story Text: East Timorese separatist rebels have emerged from the
mountains where they had waged a 24-year campaign against
Indonesian rule, surrendering their weapons to United Nations
(U.N.) soldiers and vowing to work with the multinational
force to restore peace.
Three vehicles jammed with 'Falintil' guerrillas raced
into the devastated East Timor capital of Dili on Thursday
(September 30).
The rebel fighters went directly to the Turismo Hotel to
meet journalists and to request a meeting with Australian
military officers there.
Falintil is the armed wing of the East Timorese Fretilin
resistance, which had battled the often brutal Indonesian rule
of the territory after its former Portuguese rulers withdrew,
after which Indonesia annexed East Timor in 1975.
Human rights groups estimate that 200,000 people have died
as a result of the guerrilla war, either from fighting or
starvation.
A Falintil commander said on Thursday that the group
looked forward to working with the multinational peacekeeping
force Interfet as a joint peace organisation in East Timor.
But Interfet has rejected any idea of working with armed
Falintil in peacekeeping operations because under its U.N.
mandate it is supposed to disarm all groups in East Timor.
Calm has slowly returned to the territory after U.N.
peacekeepers landed last week.
Two boys proudly showed off a logo of the pro-independence
National Council for Timorese Resistance or CNRT.
Stepping foot in Dili for the first time in 24 years, the
former rebels surrendered their weapons to the U.N.
peacekeeping troops.
Hundreds of grenades and anti-tank guns were collected by
peacekeeping troops.
The rebels' visit to Dili follows East Timor's
overwhelming vote for independence on August 30 and a month of
bloodshed at the hands of pro-Indonesia militiamen and
Indonesian troops.
The commander of the U.N.forces, Major-General Peter
Cosgrove, welcomed the move and implored members of the
pro-Jakarta militia to do the same.
Speaking at a news briefing on Thursday, Cosgrove said:
"Any move by any of the factions here to enter the mainstream
of life, community life, rather than the rule of the gun is to
be applauded and I would really encourage the other side, the
militia side to similarly enter into negotiations.To me, this
is a tremendous first step.
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