Indonesian Moves Against Timor

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30172, 2 July 1963, Page 13

Indonesian Moves Against Timor

(N Z .P-A.-Reuter— Copyright)

LONDON, July 1. Portuguese Timor has been marked down as the next target for Indonesian “liberation,” according to a “Sunday Times” article by a Singapore correspondent, Richard Hughes. Intelligence reports reaching Singapore from Djakarta and Timor confirmed that Portuguese authorities who controlled the east half of he island and a tiny enclave on the north shore had established martial law with a curfew in Dili, the capital They had appealed urgently to Lisbon for arms and reinforcements against an expected revolt, the "Sunday Times” article said.

The Indonesian news agency, Antara, was publishing manifestos by representatives of the so-called “United Republic of Timor,’’ which proclaimed the impending overthrow of the “Portuguese »lonists and Fascist-im-perialists.” and “reunion with our Indonesian and Malay brothers." the newspaper said. No-one in Singapore doubted that the “liberation movement” was operating under the direction of the Indonesian Government, and represented another and logical plunge by President Soekarno for the acquisition of Western-occupied territory mside the Indonesian islands, the article said The latest manifesto of the "United Republic of Timor" published by Antara announced the names of a ■’president,” “premier,” and a woman “deputy-premier." No names were mentioned in the “Sunday Times” story The newspaper said an "emergency Government" already had been established on the coastal town of Batugade inside the unmarked border separating Portuguese md Indonesian Timor The correspondent said ’hat, theoretically. Lisbon idministered Portuguese Ti-

mor through a “civilian Government,” The Acting • Governor, following proclamation of martial law, now was under a local military commander. Portugal had sought quietly to reinforce the local garrison with one battalion of troops beginning in 1962 after an earlier “Malay" uprising against the Portuguese regime. Little was known of this revolt, which followed closely the Indian invasion of Goa the "Sunday Times"

said. President Soekamo secretly warned Lisbon that Portuguese troops would not be permitted to enter Indonesian waiters They were diverted on the high seas to Macao on the South China coast.

There, they technically relieved the Portuguese African garrison long stationed there, the newspaper said