Weekly Review
INDONESIA: MORE ON TIMOR
In its effort to annex eastern Timor, Jakarta has been more concerned about the International reaction to Its invasion than about overcoming resistance if. the Portuguese territory. The report Issued .'his wetk on the UN investigation of thehould ease this concern.
The UN report states that an accurate assess* ment of the Timor situationhole "remains elusive" and makes no Judgments on Fretilinof intervention by Indonesian troops. Ittraightforward account of the UN representative's trip and restates the position* of the various Timorese factions and Interested countries. The report concludes that all theandoncerned agree thai ;heof eastern Timor should determine their own fate but notes that they disagree on how this should be accomplished.
No date has been set for Security Council consideration of the report The Indonesians are anxious to avoid debate as long as possible In order to allow time for carefully managedtoimorese delegation that would visit Jakarta andor Incorporation into Indonesia. The Indonesians through their regime in Dili have even proposed that the UNreturn to Timor to visit previouslyareas toore comprehensive view of the situation.
The Indonesian military attempt to eliminate resistance In the rugged hinterlands has slowed considerably In the past few weeks In face of Fretilin hit-and-run attacks. The push Into the countryside, now In Its sixth week, has driven the Fretilin from many of Its base* and has put all the significant population centers and militaryIn "idoneslan hands, but the guerrillas have been able to Inflict casualties on Indonesian troops. !
Fretilin successes have been due mainly to the guerrillas' ability to exploit the Island's rugged terrain to ambush Indonesian supply convoys. Some Indonesian; units have begun to move supplies overland with pack animals and native porters. Although morale In some Indonesianeteriorating, Fretilin appears in-captTDTecjTTeTlously disrupting Jakarta's plans for Eastern Tlmor.l
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