Despite these assurances from the Indonesian military, East Timorese still express concern. ''We are very apprehensive about what will happen, especially on the day of the announcement of the UN ballot result, '' Joao Carrascalao, head of the National Council of Timorese Resistance, said in an interview in Australia. We need a peacekeeping force to be in place before the announcement of the result of the ballot. Two of the four Unamet deaths took place there, reports say. Since Thursday evening, Unamet personnel have begun counting the ballots cast by 98.6 percent of registered voters on August 30, where they were asked to choose between autonomy under Indonesia or independence. Wimhurst said Unamet will announce the results only after counting has been completed in a few days.
Sources say two-thirds of the vote was cast in favor of independence.
Some residents say that Timorese workers with Unamet, some of whom belong to the Timorese resistance, have not been impartial. Critics say this perception has helped fuel violence by militias who say they cannot accept separation from Indonesia. ''While we are pleased with the high turnout of the ballot, we also found that the Unamet's performance has been questioned,'' UN special representative Jamsheed Marker said after meeting Wiranto in Jakarta Thursday. In earlier briefings this week, Unamet spokesman David Wimhurst called perceptions of bias a ''misperception and a misunderstanding of the role'' of UN staff, who, he said had been tasked to respond to voters requests for assistance in filling out or marking ballots. UN officials also said there is an electoral commission that will take up signed complaints involving the August 30 ballot. UNIF said in a statement.