War if East Timor breaks away 8212; Pro-Jakarta group

Speaking on the margin of a large campaign rally in Dili, Batista indicated his group would continue to fight for autonomy even if the ballot went against them. 8220;We will be the new guerrillas in the mountain,8221; Batista warned.

Since Indonesia invaded the former Portuguese colony in 1975 separatist guerrillas have been fighting Indonesian forces.

Batista said he was aware there had been many human rights violations since East Timor was officially annexed in 1976 but added that under the new autonomy scheme, the authorities will 8220;correct8221; such things.

Most diplomats andobservers have blamed the pro-Indonesia militias for much of the violence and killings in East Timor since March. They have also said the militias have been armed by the Indonesian authorities and military or had their support.

Some 2,000 pro-autonomy supporters, on at least 30 buses gathered in Front of the governor8217;s office in Dili before a planned convoy around town.

Many carried pictures of Indonesian Opposition leader Megawati Sukarnoputri and the pro-autonomy symbol, a map of East Timor with an Indonesian red-and-white flag.

Megawati has her Indonesian Democracy Party-Struggle PDIP wants East Timor to remain part of Indonesia but would respect next Monday8217;s vote. The crowd was addressed by the head of the Aitarak militia, Eurico Guterres. Also present was Akbar Tanjung, head of Indonesia8217;s ruling Golkar party.

Meanwhile, the UN Mission in East Timor UNAMET has accepted most appeals lodged over voter registration but has rejected 24 Indonesian observer groups, UNAMET spokesman David Wimhurstsaid.

A letter from UN chief electoral officer in East Timor, Jeff Fischer, said the Indonesian Observer groups in East Timor and the Indonesian task force in the territory were trying to organise and coordinate the groups.

Unamet, Fischer said, 8220;considers this arrangement to be a violation of the agreement that limits and equalizes the number of official observers participating in the popular consultation8230;In my judgment, your arrangement creates functional proxies for the official observers delegations.8221;

He added that since each of the observer groups had hundreds of members, it 8220;will create a substantial imbalance8221; between the number of Portuguese and Indonesian official observers.

Around 450,000 East Timorese are eligible to vote on whether to accept or reject a broad autonomy scheme offered by Indonesia. Jakarta has said it may give independence if the East Timor people vote against autonomy.