Dili - Indonesia has agreed to give the people of East Timor what many had long fought for - a vote on their future - but there was little celebration in the troubled territory yesterday.
Residents in the restive province cautiously welcomed the news from New York. Pro-independence leaders were sceptical and pro-Jakarta loyalists feared an upsurge in bloodshed. In UN-sponsored talks with Portugal, Jakarta cast aside fears of encouraging other rebellious provinces and agreed to let the East Timorese vote on whether to accept an offer of enhanced autonomy within Indonesia.
The East Timor Ireland Solidarity Campaign has called on the EU to send food aid to East Timor immediately to prevent a human disaster taking place with up to 100 people a day dying of hunger and disease. ETISC said last night that the Indonesian military had seized over 900 tonnes of rice and was refusing to let medical supplies reach their destinations.