East Timor
Indonesian recognition of East Timor's right to self-determination,
ending nearly two decades of quasi-military rule and changes in the
prison conditions of rebel leader Xanana Gusmao are the latest
developments of East Timor's fight for independence.
The announcements were made the day before high-level talks between
Portuguese and Indonesian authorities were due to begin in New York
under UN auspices. However, thousands of terrified East-Timorese fled
their villages after at least six people died during attacks by
pro-Indonesian collaborators.
The announcement of a change in Indonesian policy came at the end of
January, when Alatas, following a meeting of the cabinet, stated that
the government will allow the independence of East Timor after the
election of the Indonesian Supreme Legislative Assembly, the MPR, if
the East Timorese reject Indonesia's proposal for autonomy.
The same day, the Indonesian administration offered Timorese rebel
leader Xanana Gusmao to move from his prison cell to house detention.
``I accept the offer''; Xanana (53) told reporters at Jakarta's
Cipinang jail, where he is serving a 20-year prison term.
Officials said the move was a compromise related to a request from
the UN secretary general, Kofi Annan.
Foreign governments have expressed the hope Xanana, who has a wide
following in East Timor, could play a ``Nelson Mandela-like'' role in
seeking a solution to the East Timor problem. Xanana was captured in
1992 and sentenced to life imprisonment for plotting against the
state and illegal possession of weapons but his sentence was commuted
to 20 years in jail.
The developments were welcomed by East Timorese Nobel Laureate Bishop
Carlos Ximenes Belo, who pointed out that he still wanted a
referendum for East Timor: ``Yes, I would be happy if the offer is put
into practice. But as I have said for the past 10-15 years, the offer
for a wide-ranging autonomy should be accompanied with a referendum
to decide whether this is what the people want. Let me stress that
wide-ranging autonomy is not something final but only transitional.
It is only final when the people says so.''
From Belo's point of view, East Timor could have 10 or 15 years of
autonomy under Indonesia and after that decide themselves whether
they want to be independent.
On the other hand, Jose Ramos Horta, who won the Peace prize in 1996
with Belo, denounced the proposal as a ``stunt''. ``They never deliver
what they promised. I believe it is no more than a smokescreen, a
diplomatic stunt. Their aim is to win the good favour of the
international community, while at the same time they create terror in
East Timor''.
It seems that Australia will support autonomy of the territory, as
it expressed its belief that East Timor is too weak to become an
independent state.
Tom Hyland, spokesperson of the East Timor Solidarity Campaign, feels
that ``The position of the successive Australian governments have
been, perhaps, the most hypocritical of all governments. Not only did
they refuse to investigate the death of the Australian journalist
killed by the Indonesian army, but have illegally shared the oil
resources of East Timor with Indonesia.
``As regards the future of East Timor, obviously there is a lot to be
done. East Timor had the 23 largest oilfields in the world, a
substantial coffee crop, marble and many other natural resources. In
fact, East Timor has the capacity to become one of the richest states
in the world but it will take time. Australia may be dependent on an
independent East Timor for its energy resources in the next
millennium.''
The possibility of East Timorese self-determination becoming a
reality is dependent very much on the result of the elections to the
Indonesian Legislative Assembly, as two of the main opposition
leaders have declared themselves against the government's idea of
considering independence for the island. Megawati Sukarnoputri,
leader of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI), pointed out that the
government of president B.J. Habibie has no authority to make a
decision on the territory. The daughter of Indonesian's first
president Sukarno, who transformed the Indonesian federation into its
actual shape, reminded Habibie that his government was transitional
and his ascent to power was due to an emergency situation caused by
the Indonesian students protests last year.
Abdurrahman ``Gus Dur'' Walid, the chairman of the Nahdlatul Ulama
Moslen organisation and backer of the newly founded National
Awakening Party said that the decision of Indonesia to include the
territory of East Timor as part of the country should be respected.
``In my opinion, East Timor should remain part of Indonesia''.
For Tom Hyland, the party of Suharto and Habibie does not stand a
chance of winning the elections, as ``a coalition between Sukarnoputri
and the moderate Islamic Mummahadin party of Wahid looks like the
most likely outcome'', though it is possible that the Islamic parties
of Indonesia will refuse to endorse a woman as president. There is
also Amien Reiss who is President of the most moderate of Indonesian
Islamic parties. So any of them could be president.''
While officials of the Indonesian government deliberate over East
Timor's status, the situation on the island is still difficult. The
Indonesian military have been arming groups of East Timorese
collaborators. Tensions are high in the former Portuguese colony
where the National Commission of Human Rights (Komnas HAM) estimates
that more than 50 people have died in clashes in the past six months,
while more than 2,700 refugees are camped outside the village of
Suai, 90 kilometres Southeast of the capital, Dili, after fleeing
violence between groups of pro and anti-Indonesian Timorese. At least
six people have been killed in the Kovalima district in just three
days.
``As in the case of all colonial occupations, the Indonesians have
pursued a policy of divide and rule among the Timorese people. Some
Timorese have been conscripted into the Indonesian army. Some have
also benefited financially from the occupation. But the resistance to
Indonesian control has held firm and the last 23 years have seen an
astonishing David and Goliath situation between East Timor and
Indonesia with a heroic resistance to a very brutal regime. What will
be needed is a Truth and Reconciliation Commission, the type
experience in South Africa, so that all the people of East Timor,
those who have resisted and those who have collaborated can iron out
their differences'', explains Tom Hyland.
US troops in Nicaragua
In an interview published by the newspaper, A Nosa Terra, former
Nicaraguan president, Daniel Ortega, pointed out that 1,800 US troops
that moved into Nicaragua after Hurricane Mitch hit the country, are
still there a month after the disaster.
During the interview, which appeared last month, Ortega said that the
presence of these troops in Nicaragua exceeds the idea of
humanitarian aid as 1,800 soldiers are a substantial force: ``I
consider as a humiliation for this country that the US response to
the tragedy was to send troops, because here we had a conflict
provoke by the US, a war that caused thousands of deaths.''
Ortega pointed out that from the Sandinista Front for National
Liberation they are aware that the US administration has used the
excuse of humanitarian aid to hide the execution of its strategic
interest in the area. ``This is a clear interference by the United
States in our country that we have to denounce. We want US troops to
leave the country and the compensation ordered by the International
Court of Justice to be paid to Nicaragua''.
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