Gusmao seeks talks with militia

By CRAIG SKEHAN, Herald Correspondent in Jakarta

The East Timorese independence leader Mr Xanana Gusmao sought talks with pro-Indonesia militia leaders and military chiefs yesterday in an effort to stop further killings of civilians and to avoid attacks on foreign peacekeepers.

"It is very urgent and necessary to have a dialogue, a comprehensive reconciliation, to avoid more destruction and more blood," he said.

Anti-independence leaders were invited to visit him at the British Embassy in Jakarta, where he has been given refuge.

"I appeal to the East Timorese who defended the pro-integration ideal to make sure that the future of our country, our people, is in our hands," Mr Gusmao said. He warned there was a danger that many of the more than 140,000 refugees who have fled or been forced by the Indonesian military across the border into West Timor could be used as hostages in negotiations on East Timor's future.

Mr Gusmao said he was concerned that West Timor could be used as a sanctuary for cross-border raids by militia members.

The man tipped to become president of an independent East Timor expressed the hope that East Timorese were facing "their last sacrifices, their last struggle" after 25 years of hardship.

Speaking at a media conference at the embassy, Mr Gusmao said hundreds of thousands of refugees were threatened by food shortages and disease.

He called on the international community to increase pressure on the Indonesian Government to allow immediate air drops of relief supplies to isolated areas.

"There are more than 300 children who have already died. I want to appeal to the international community to continue to press the Indonesian Government - essentially military top leaders - to allow the immediate entry of humanitarian assistance."

Mr Gusmao, who wants to return to Dili, the capital of East Timor, as "soon as possible" after peacekeeping forces have arrived, said pro-independence Falintil guerillas were ready to help foreign peacekeepers and the Indonesian military try to achieve a state of "tranquillity" in East Timor.