Stonewalling frustrates murder probe

By Greg Ansley

DILI - The United Nations peacemakers are losing their patience with the refusal by Indonesian forces to turn over four Army officers wanted for questioning about the murder of a Dutch journalist in Dili soon after the arrival of Interfet forces.

The commanding officer of Interfet forces, Major-General Peter Cosgrove, yesterday sent a new letter to the Indonesian commander in the East Timorese capital demanding the officers be made available to the Dutch investigator inquiring into the killing.

Sander Thoenes, who was working for the Financial Times, was shot and mutilated when the motorcycle on which he was a pillion passenger was fired on at an Indonesian Army (TNI) road block.

Investigators also want to question the four TNI officers about the ambush of two British journalists later the same day, the abduction of one East Timorese with them and the beating of another.

Yesterday's demand followed a letter to the head of the remaining TNI garrison in Dili earlier in the week, which was acknowledged but not answered.

"General Cosgrove has sent a second letter to TNI command demanding the officers be provided," the Interfet chief of staff, Colonel Mark Kelly, said yesterday.

"There has been continual urging after the issue of a first letter."

"The third letter has certainly been acknowledged and we have mentioned it daily since."

Kelly said he could give no further details as to why the TNI officers were required for the investigation.

He said that if the TNI continued to stall, the matter would have to be taken up "probably at a level higher than Commander Interfet."

Although Kelly said Interfet and the TNI had established a good working relationship in Dili, another source of friction was growing over the city's mobile phone network, which has been out of service for about four days.

The TNI has consistently refused Interfet technicians access to the Dili telecommunications centre.

Meanwhile, 90 refugees - the first planeload to return from West Timor - landed in Dili yesterday.