Don't surrender East Timor<\/p>\n
From Merdeka<\/p>\n
I felt saddened and angered upon hearing the foreign
\nminister's explanation of the East Timor issue on Jan. 27. It was
\nshocking, and in my opinion even amoral, to put forward the
\noption of getting rid of East Timor.<\/p>\n
It is taboo even to think about this alternative. By
\nexpressing the idea "What is the use of maintaining East Timor?"
\nit is clear that our present government (along with its
\ninstitutions) is extremely ineffective, not only on a national
\nlevel but also internationally.<\/p>\n
We should remember that East Timor is part of the Republic of
\nIndonesia and its integration process is legal according to
\ninternational law. The East Timor problem at the moment is
\nsmaller in magnitude than the Irian Jaya issue. All my respect
\ngoes to Indonesia's first president, Sukarno, who defended Irian
\nJaya tenaciously, facing the risk of war.<\/p>\n
My feeling that the statement is "amoral" comes from the fact
\nthat the statement has betrayed the heroes who have fallen in
\nEast Timor. It makes me think that if East Timor is surrendered,
\nit will start the disintegration of Indonesia Raya, the
\nabandonment of Aceh, Irian Jaya, Maluku, Sulawesi. The blood of
\nthe nation's heroes will be wasted.<\/p>\n
We should not see things from a financial angle only. We must
\nuse more important criteria, and consider national honor. I
\nstrongly hope that the government will immediately withdraw the
\nsuggestion and apologize to all the Indonesian people.<\/p>\n
MICHAEL TANOK<\/p>\n
Jakarta<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/dont-surrender-east-timor-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }