Former diplomat plans to ignore warning

Press, 17 March 1977, Page 8

Former diplomat plans to ignore warning

NZP/X Canberra A former Australian diplomat, Mr Jim Dunn, plans to ignore a warning from the Indonesian Government and fly to Washington to give evidence on alleged killings in East Timor. The Indonesian Government announced in Jakarta on Tuesday that relations with Australia could be affectec if Mr Dunn, a former consul in the East Timor capital of Dili, gave evidence to the United States congressional relations sub-committee of the alleged killings during the territory’s civil war.

“I’ve had no indication from the Government that' I can’t go,” Mr Dunn told NZPA yesterday.

And a spokesman for the Foreign Minister (Mr Andrew Peacock) said Mr Dunn was acting privately and was on leave from his job in the Federal parliamentary library.

“I’m on two months leave although I’ll only be away two to three weeks,” said Mr Dunn.

In London last month, Mr Dunn told a press conference that Indonesian forces had killed several' Chinese and East Timorese Villagers. He plans' to present these allegations in details to the United States Government committee. His invitation to appear before the committee resulted in the Australian Am-

bassador to Jakarta (Mr Richard Woolcott) being called in and told of Indonesia’s displeasure about the plans.

Mr Woolcott’s summons came from Indonesia’s director-general for political affairs at the Foreign Ministry (Mr Sujono Darusman). Mr Dunn is due to appear before the committee next Wednesday as the first witness. He is also the author of a report on the Indonesian occupation of East Timor, gathered from interviews with refugees early this year and from other sources.

Mr Dunn said he would not be intimidated by the Indonesians and planned to go ahead and give evidence.