EAST TIMOR: CIVILIAN MILITIA WILLING TO DIE FOR INDONESIA

(3 Feb 1999) Natural Sound Armed civilian militia men who are against independence for East Timor say they are willing to die for Indonesia. Indonesia invaded East Timor in December 1975 after the colonisers withdrew and annexed it a few weeks later, unleashing separatist rebel fighting and human rights abuses. The Indonesian government announced last week that it was willing to allow East Timor to secede. Indonesian officials have said the nation's highest legislative body may discuss independence for East Timor if its people reject an autonomy proposal. But since then there has been a mixed reaction from the people of East Timor. SOUNDBITE: (Indonesian) "After we found out that Indonesia was talking about independence, a lot of groups of pro-independence supporters were starting to terrorise us. But we are all here now ready to stand against them in the civil war. We are ready to die for Indonesia." SUPER CAPTION: Ilidio Batista, Commander of militia Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...