NEWSMAKER: SAMUEL BERGER

September 9, 1999
		After this background report, President Clinton's National Security Adviser discusses the U.S. reaction to the crisis in East Timor in the wake of the Pentagon's suspension of military relations with Indonesia.

Online NewsHour Special Report: East Timor Independence Online Backgrounder: A look at East Timor's stormy history. Sept. 8, 1999: An interview with 1996 Nobel Peace Prize winer Jose Ramos-Horta. Sept. 7, 1999: Two experts discuss the militia activities in East Timor and how Indonesia and the U.N. can end them. Sept. 7, 1999: Indonesia institutes martial law in East Timor. Sept. 6, 1999: The Carter Center's lead vote monitor discusses the post-election violence. Sept. 3, 1999: East Timor chooses independence. Sept. 2, 1999: U.N. workers are killed as militia attacks continue. Sept. 1, 1999: Militias lead an uprising outside the U.N. compound. Oct. 25, 1996: Online Forum: Nobel Peace Prize winner Jose Ramos-Horta responds to viewer questions. June 2, 1998: Indonesia attempts to form a democratic government. Browse the NewsHour's coverage of Asia.     United Nations Mission in East Timor Indonesian Embassy in Washington National Council of Timorese Resistance U.S. Embassy in Jakarta Carter Center	JIM LEHRER: East Timor, first an update from Ian Williams of Independent Television News in Jakarta. IAN WILLIAMS: It's a scene of utter devastation. There's little that hasn't been burned and looted. These pictures, filmed on Monday, reached Jakarta today. They provide a glimpse of the destruction wrought upon Dili by rampaging pro-Indonesian gangs. Terrified residents are herded by militiamen, to be deported to West Timor. The police and army do nothing to stop the carnage; indeed, they appear to be helping in the sacking and emptying of an entire city. The pictures also show Bishop Belo, the Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, negotiating with the police, trying to ensure the safety of several thousand people who had taken shelter in his compound. Militiamen - and police - have forced them into a square next door. It was shortly after this that Bishop Belo was evacuated to Darwin. Faced with such images, Indonesian government officials today conceded for the first time that at least some elements of the army may be out of control.
	A need for international help
	ALI ALATAS, Indonesian Foreign Minister: Rogue elements have been noticed, among them rogue army elements, et cetera -- perhaps also some elements -- East Timorese -- who have been, you know, who have been part of the Indonesian army. IAN WILLIAMS: Calls for an international peacekeeping force to be sent to East Timor received some support on the streets of Jakarta today. But it continues to be rejected by President B.J. Habibie. Today his closest advisers rallied around him, denying persistent rumors that he's been sidelined by the military. DEWI FORTUNA ANWAR, Adviser to President Habibie: He's fully in charge. And I do hope that people will not go around spreading rumors that will destroy the very fragile democratic prospects that we are trying to develop. IAN WILLIAMS: The media here continued to fuel those rumors, suggesting Mr. Habibie will soon resign, but that wasn't the only problem contributing to a climate of crisis in the capital. The Indonesian currency, the Rupiah, plummeted in value. It's lost nearly a fifth of its value in three days. The stock market also took a dive, raising fears of another economic meltdown. And Mr. Habibie was the target of anti-government protesters. They were mostly students and blocked a main road when they were prevented from marching on parliament. Eventually they were dispersed by riot police. The East Timor crisis has given fresh impetus to opponents of President Habibie -- no more so than the students who were at the forefront of the campaign that brought down President Suharto. The visiting team from the U.N. Security Council today met Xanana Gusmao. A short while after this meeting, it was confirmed that Gusmao's 82-year-old father has been murdered in East Timor. The U.N. team has asked to be taken to Dili at the weekend. They've made little headway with the Indonesian government and now want to see the devastation for themselves. There may be little left for them to examine.