Mr. Pires,
First of all, the Indonesian Government has recognized the result of the ballot in
East Timor. That is, the majority of the people favored the independence of East
Timor. There is no question about it. It is just up to the MPR to approve or reject it.
Secondly, whatever you want to call Aitarak, Besi Merah Putih and 11 other groups who
favor the integration with Indonesia, the members of these groups are East Timorese
origin. In addition to these 35,000 people, there are about 7,000 East Timorese who
are members of the Indonesian military and police force. Then, if you add an
approximately 20,000 of East Timorese who are members of local civilian government,
teachers, paramedics, administrative staffs, then you will come to 60,000 people. If
you then add up their families and relatives you will come to an approximately 300,000
people who believe that they have no future in the independent East Timor simply
because they favored the integration.
Third, this 300, 000 people were disappointed and feel betrayed by the conduct of many
UNAMET staffs prior, during and after the ballot. Therefore, they protested and
claimed voting irregularities were done by the UN officials. However, the UNAMET did
not take these claims seriously, so that these people took the actions into their
hands.
Facing with this civil war situation, the Indonesian Government is left with very few
options. The world still remember how the UN team just abandoned Rwanda which was on
the brink of civil war several years ago. As a result, millions of people were killed
during the civil war right after the UN team packed up and left. On another case just
a couple months ago, the UN went out of Angola, another ex-Portugese colony which has
been in civil war for decades which caused 600,000 people killed. If things went wrong
in Rwanda, Angola or East Timor, the UN has an option to pack and leave the areas. But
for these areas' neighboring countries, like Indonesia, we have no choice. Whether we
like it or not, we have to face this problem and bear the consequences.
Fourth, realizing this difficult situation, the Indonesian Government imposed martial
law on the territory with only one objective: bring back the security and stability to
the area. After 3 days of martial law, Secretary General Kofi Annan expressed his
optimism that the stability on the ground has improved.
Fifth, the martial law is not a permanent solution to the problem nor the best option.
It's simply the only choice.
Sixth, for those who advocate that Indonesia should just invite the UN to come and
restore a peaceful situation, I would like to suggest you to study the UN records in
handling the civil war crisis situation. They had given up and abandoned Rwanda and
Angola (who coincidentally the country where David Wimhurst was stationed earlier),
and still could not do anything to stop civil wars in Mozambique which caused 1.2
million killed and several other countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America.
This is a very difficult and complex problem. The people of East Timor needs support
and sympathy from each and everyone of us to bring back stability . The last thing
they need are people with unrealistic idealism preaching about human rights to a
society which is already in the civil war situation.
Take care
Mahendra Siregar
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
> Yes, is true people of East Timor, choose to become an independent country in August
>30. Indonesia signed with United Nations and Portugal a trait for a referendum.
>Portugal and East Timor made is part and Indonesia kill everyone who vote for the
>independence. It�s a genocide. And the Aitarak are not militias. Aitarak is a part of
>the Indonesian militar corp. Is better for Indonesia left the UN take control of East
>Timor. If Indonesia don�t make nothing for the East Timor people in 24 years, why
>believe they will do now. Is like put the Chicken in the guard of the wolf. You ask
>where is Xanana Gusm�o. Xanana is where Indonesia government left him. You want
>Xanana go to East Timor? For what? To be kill for the military and militias. Is that
>what you want? Do you know Xanana�s father as been killed by the militias? Why kill a
>man of 82 years old? Only because is Xanana�s father. Why atack Catholic missions?
>Why atack Bishop Ximenes Belo and Bishop Basilio do Nascimento? Why kill her
> staff? Why Kill people. The referendum was democratic. Why don�t accept the results
>of the referendum? And why Indonesian government prepare, since 4 months ago refugees
>campus in the other part of Timor island? Because they know what Aitarak Militias and
>Military Corps want to do after the results. Why the Indonesian government don�t left
>the Humanitarian Organizations stay in East Timor? Why they take Journalists out of
>East Timor? Because they don�t want witness. The deportation is of pro independent
>people. 100 of people have been killed. You don�t see CNN, BBC News, NBC, and other
>TVs? Because they have movies of people been killed. Is intent of the Indonesian
>government even if they left East Timor, burn all houses to left nothing. But East
>Timor people only want is freedom. Only want to be and independent country. Be
>prepared, because the international community don�t accept this. Maybe in few days
>you have an economic disaster. European Community is prepared to stop buying
> Indonesian products. And if United States stop too? What are you doing with
>indonesian products? You sell where?
>
> Take care
>
> Paulo Pires
>
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