U.D.T.'S prisoners Madrid seeks Jakarta’s aid

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33958, 26 September 1975, Page 9

U.D.T.'S prisoners Madrid seeks Jakarta’s aid

(N Z P.A -Keuter—Copyright)

JAKARTA, September 25.

Portugal has asked Indonesia to help to arrange for the release of the 20 to 25 Portuguese soldiers taken prisoner by the Conservative Timorese Democratic Union.

The Portuguese Charge d’Affaires in Jakarta (Mr Manuele de Souza Girao) conveyed the Portuguese Government’s request yesterday to Indonesia’s acting Foreign Minister (General Panggabean), who is also Minister of Defence. The general promised that he would "look into the matter." The U.D.T., which wants Portuguese East Timor to become an autonomous province within Indonesia, is reported to have threatened to kill the prisoners unless Lisbon takes immediate steps to solve the Timor crisis. Until a few days ago, the U.D.T. was reported to have been holding the soldiers in the East Timor town of Batugede. a little more than one mile from the border with Indonesia, but the Leftist Revolutionary Front for the Independence of East Timor {Fretilin) was yesterday

reported from Batugede to have swept into the town and taken control there. Official Indonesian sources said today, however: “Based on reports we have received, the U.D.T. is still there.” The Indonesian Navy Chief of Staff (Admiral Raden Subiyakto) said today that the reinforcement of naval ships, including destroyers and frigates, in the Timor Sea was intended to prevent any foreign intervention in the Timor crisis. He added that the vessels, which arrived in the Timor Sea at the week-end, could also be used to help to evacuate refugees from East Timor. An Indonesian Air Force Hercules aircraft left Jakarta today for Kupang, in Indonesian West Timor, carrying more medical supplies and relief aid for the 32,000 Timorese refugees there.