SUMMARY OF THE STATEMENT OF THE INTERNATIONAL
         PLATFORM OF JURISTS FOR EAST TIMOR (IPJET)
         (English version) Presented by Vanessa Ramos

              The International Platform of Jurists for East Timor, a
non-governmental organization of jurists, with its Secretariat in the
Netherlands, firmly believes that this Committee has to implement the
decolonization of East Timor pursuant to the Declaration for the Concession
of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, Resolution 1514(XV)
immediately: it has been almost 23 years of occupation. A referendum should
take place immediately under the close supervision of the United Nations
free from any coercion, intimidation or threats.

We totally reject statements by Indonesia calling for so-called "special
status" and demand that the government of Indonesia clearly recognize the
right of East Timor to self-determination without pre-conditions and play
of words. We extend our thanks and solidarity to all those Indonesians,
that under threat of incarceration, have spoken on behalf of the East
Timorese.

     We believe that the Peace Plan proposed by the National Council of
Maubere Resistance is a fair and reasonable proposal to achieve self-
determination and a long lasting peace. A decolonization process has to
necessarily involve a Working Group of the United Nations and its
specialized agencies to prepare the foundation for the exercise of the
right to self determination, human rights specialists and the establishment
of a human rights commission. We believe that in order for a process to
have credibility, the representatives of the people of East Timor must have
full and equal participation in all phases of negotiations, in particular
the leaders of the East Timorese resistance. Therefore, we recommend that
the conversations under the auspices of the Secretary General between
Portugal and Indonesia include the legitimate representatives of the people
of East Timor. We further call upon the regime of Indonesia to release the
leader of the East Timorese resistance, Xanana Gusmao and all other
political prisoners in order to prepare the path for peace.