Dialog with East Timorese<\/p>\n
President Soeharto made a sympathetic gesture last week when
\nhe expressed his readiness to hold a dialog with an anti-
\nintegration group of East Timor.<\/p>\n
The offer of a dialog will be a substantive contribution to
\nthe solution of the issue. The Indonesian government has
\nreiterated that the East Timor issue is a non-issue any longer,
\nde facto and de jure. But it is also true that several anti-
\nintegration groups are still continuing their campaigns.<\/p>\n
Their voices, however, have been diminishing lately because
\nthe international community is becoming more objective in judging
\nthe issue. Nevertheless, a dialog with an anti-integration group
\nis a boost.<\/p>\n
The dialog will prove that Indonesia is serious in resolving
\nthe issue together with opposing groups. Secondly, there are
\nstill many East Timorese in diaspora who are ignorant about the
\nreal situation in the province.<\/p>\n
Indonesia's stance in the dialog is clear. That is Indonesia
\nwill not address the question of the existence of East Timor
\nwithin Indonesia but to narrow the perception gap of the
\nintegration. The dialog can also be focused on what steps to be
\ntaken in the future development of the province.<\/p>\n
The dialog will be held with more than one anti-integration
\ngroup and also include pro-integration groups so that it will
\nembrace every one who has a stake in the issue.<\/p>\n
-- Republika, Jakarta<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/dialog-with-east-timorese-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }