Ian Martin: Good Morning. I want to open this small ceremony by welcoming those who have come here as our guests this morning. Particularly Bishop Belo, Ambassador Tarmidzi, Chairman of the Indonesian Task Force, Colonel Silaen of the Indonesian Police, the heads of the Portuguese and Indonesian observer missions, representatives of media and others. You are all extremely welcome to UNAMET this morning.
Of course, I am particularly pleased to be joined at the table by Mr. Domingo Soares representing the United Front for East Timor Autonomy and by Mr. Leandro Isaac representing the National Council of the Timorese Resistance.
This will be a short ceremony I promise you, but I think it is nonetheless an important one. The agreement on the modalities for the popular consultation signed by the Governments of Indonesia and Portugal with the United Nations provides for there to be a code of conduct for the campaign.
This code is to be proposed by the United Nations and discussed with the supporters and opponents of the autonomy proposal. I am pleased to say that those discussions have taken place successfully. This morning I am able to sign the Code of Conduct and issue it officially and invite the representatives of the United Front for Autonomy and the CNRT also to sign to indicate the acceptance by their organizations. You will have the opportunity to read the Code of Conduct closely, but I just want to summarize the most important matters that it covers.
It provides for the freedom for both sides to campaign without disruption or obstruction. It commits participants in the campaigns to avoid inflammatory or defamatory language. It commits participants to avoid and condemn political violence or intimidation and not to respond to provocation by others other than to report it to the Indonesian police and to UNAMET.
It requires all participants to uphold the secrecy of the ballot. And it follows the language to which the participants in the Dare II talks, the important reconciliation meeting convened by the Bishops of East Timor, in saying that all participants agree to accept the officially validated outcome of the popular consultation in accordance with the agreement of May 5th 1999.
Before I sign the Code of Conduct and invite the representatives of the parties to do so I would like to make two further announcements. The first is that the symbols, which will appear on the ballot paper, have now been finalized in accordance with the wishes of the parties. I am going to show you to them, but again I ask the representatives of the media to remain in their current places. We can do some more photos at the end of the event.
These are the symbols that will appear on the ballot paper. And the second announcement I wish to make is that the parties have agreed that the campaign will open this Saturday, the 14th of August. We are discussing with them arrangements to ensure that the campaigns of the two sides are coordinated in all the regions, not only with UNAMET, but also importantly with the Indonesian police who have the responsibility of ensuring the security of the consultation.
The last thing I want to say is that the spirit of cooperation between the parties and the discussion of the code of conduct has been excellent. And if that spirit of cooperation is maintained and reflected locally in all parts of the Territory than I trust we can look forward to a peaceful campaign.
I am now going to sign the Code of Conduct myself since it is issued by the United Nations, but then invite the representatives of the parties to countersign to indicate their acceptance.
[Signing of Code of Conduct by Mr. Martin, Mr. Isaac and Mr. Soares] We now have three copies of the Code of Conduct in English and three in Bahasa Indonesia that have been signed, that should be sufficient. I will now invite each of the representatives of the parties to say a few words. Mr. Domingo Soares will speak in Bahasa Indonesia and we will translate that into English. Mr. Leandro Isaac will speak in Portuguese and that will also be translated into English.
Domingo Soares: I thank Bishop Belo, Ambassador Tarmidzi, the representatives of the Indonesian and Portuguese observers and representatives from the Indonesian Government for coming today. This stage that we are about to begin is a very important step for the success of the popular consultation. We have appreciated the consultations that have been carried out regarding the Code of Conduct for the campaign.
The contents of the Code of Conduct for the campaign contain all of our aspirations and our desires as far as this particular stage goes. We are very happy that we are able to sign this document today. We appeal to all parties to comply with the regulations that are in the Code of Conduct; not only the parties that are involved but also we appeal to all of the people of East Timor and to the staff of UNAMET to follow the Code of Conduct. We pray that all of the activities that will be carried out will be in the best interests of the people of East Timor. Thank you.
[applause]
Leandro Isaac: Your Excellency Mr. Ian Martin, Head of UNAMET in East Timor, distinguished Bishops, distinguished Indonesian representatives in East Timor, the distinguished head of the Portuguese observers in East Timor, the distinguished chief of police in East Timor, Ladies and Gentleman.
First of all, I would like to express my most respectful greetings, I would like to welcome, in fact, all the efforts by both parties, the CNRT and the United Front for Autonomy in East Timor and the supervision of UNAMET. Today we have been able to sign a document, which is the Code of Conduct for the campaign in East Timor. I would also like to thank UNAMET for its efforts and all its personnel throughout this Territory for its dedication to serve the special interests of the East Timorese people as provided for by the agreement signed on the 5th of May. Indonesia, Portugal and the United Nations’ Secretary-General signed this agreement in New York.
They decided to grant the right of self-determination to East Timorese through a popular consultation to take place on the 30th of August. It is with great pride and honour for us to sign this document today. It will regulate activities by both parties and will explain how the popular consultation will be executed and conducted within an environment of reconciliation and of political maturity. It will be a display of honour and dignity of the East Timorese people and to show how these people are civilized in today’s modern world.
Ladies and Gentleman, the East Timorese people and its leader, Xanana Gusmão, have been shouting to the world that there will be no peace without a fair solution and there will be no fair solution without peace. Long live the people of East Timor.
[applause]
Ian Martin: I thank both the representatives very much for their remarks and for the commitment they have expressed to this Code of Conduct. This is not a press conference, but if there are one or two quick questions from the media I will be happy to answer those.
Question & Answer:
Q: Mr. Martin, what sanctions would the UN impose if either party breaks the Code of Conduct?
Ian Martin: Obviously, any matters which involve a breach of Indonesian law are matters for the Indonesian police. But other matters will be reported to our Chief Electoral Officer and, where appropriate, to the Independent Electoral Commission, which will take them into account in its judgment on the fairness of the ballot. But also since the parties have committed themselves to this Code of Conduct we assure that their overall leadership would take action if there are breaches by members of their parties at the local level.
Q: (from Bahasa Indonesia) I noticed that there is no mention of disarmament in this Code of Conduct. Do you have any comment on that?
Ian Martin: The Code of Conduct makes clear that no participant should be carrying arms at any campaign event. But so far as the larger of the laying down of arms and disarmament in general is concerned, that is a matter being pursued by the Commission on Peace and Stability in continuation of the draft Code of Conduct, which was signed at the end of its meeting on June the 18th. UNAMET is doing and will do everything it can to further progress towards what is provided in that code.
Q: (from Portuguese) Are you confidant that both parties have agreed to what is in the Code of Conduct?
Domingo Soares: We think it is incumbent on both parties to explain to the people at all levels what the Code of Conduct is. In fact, we have already started talking about this so that anyone who has a special interest can come up.
Leandro Isaac: We have committed ourselves to comply with this Code of Conduct. I am convinced that the parties won’t breach this Code of Conduct.
Q: (from Bahasa Indonesia) There have been agreements regarding disarmament, both in the past and more recently. I would like to ask when disarmament will take place?
Domingo Soares: I can see from the questions that have been asked regarding disarmament that people seem to feel that there is something missing from the Code of Conduct. There are two codes of conduct that govern the activities of the popular consultation, the one that we have just signed this morning regarding campaign, and there is another code of conduct that governs the laying down and surrendering of arms.
Discussions regarding that code of conduct are in the process and we hope to be able to finish those discussions and make a final decision before the campaign begins. That code of conduct explains that there are several stages which will have to be implemented for the disarmament and laying down of arms, and those stages are now being discussed and will be decided upon. Thank you.
Ian Martin: Thank you all very much indeed for your presence here this morning and I hope that we have taken an important step towards a peaceful and successful campaign.
