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A report on Jakarta radio announced that Dili had been "liberated by the people's resistance, spearheaded by Apodeti, the UDT, the Kota and Trabalhista", and that "the people's resistance forces were supported by Indonesian volunteers". It went on : "At the request of the people of East Timor, and in the face of the Indonesian people's pressure exerted via Parliament, it is difficult for the Indonesian Government to prevent these volunteers from supporting their brothers in liberating Dili from oppression and Fretilin's terror." Dr Malik himself stressed that Indonesia had not intervened in East Timor, but that the fall of Dili was due to "the attack by the UDT and Apodeti, the people and Indonesian volunteers".

Portugal's immediate reaction was to break off all diplomatic relations with Indonesia on Dec. 7, and to announce that it would resort to the United Nations, with the aim of securing the cessation of what it described as Indonesia's military intervention, as well as a peaceful negotiated solution to the conflict and the decolonization process. However, Dr Malik said on Dec. 8 that he considered Portuguese sovereignty over Timor to have ended on Nov.28 (when Fretilin declared independence), that Dili was now being ruled by a coalition of the four pro-Indonesian parties, and that Fretilin resistance had ceased. He added that Indonesian troops would remain in East Timor only until the territory had decided its own future.

Refugees returning from Timor described massacres of civilians by all the three main parties involved in the conflict.

The Indonesian Minister of Information, Mr Mashuri Saleh, said in a statement at a press conference on Dec. 8 that Indonesia, which had exercised restraint long enough in the face of “provocations” by Fretilin, would now take all necessary measures to protect its interests.

The statement said that Indonesia had "offered its good offices to help Portugal restore security and order for the proper implementation of the decolonization process", but that its "good intention" was "rejected by Portugal". In the meantime, the "Indonesian people's tolerance was tested as they tried to restrain themselves in the face of violations of Indonesian territory by Fretilin gangs, mortar shelling, repeated attacks, plunder, rustling and other provocations which caused losses of life and property".

It continued: "The Government … has repeatedly appealed to Fretilin to respect and be willing to implement the Rome memorandum. During its efforts honestly to implement the Rome memorandum, the Indonesian Government. was shocked by Fretilin’s unilateral proclamation of independence of Portuguese Timor on Nov.28. 1975, which was later countered by the issue of a joint proclamation by Apodeti, the UDT, Kota and Trabalhista In the name of the people of Portuguese Timor to liberate themselves from colonization and integrate themselves with the Indonesian nation. ..

“With the existence of these two proclamations, Indonesia is confronted with a situation where, on the one hand, none of the people of Portuguese Timor any longer recognize Portuguese authority, and, on the other, Portugal itself stated at the UN on Nov.30 that it could no longer control the situation. ...

Indonesia consolidated its hold in East Timor by capturing Maubara on Dec. 7, as well as most of the 50-mile strip of coast between Dill and the Indonesian border. On Dec.11 the pro-Indonesian forces took Baucau, damaging its airport.

This article comes from Keesings Worldwide Online

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