East Timor at issue<\/p>\n
The issue of East Timor cannot be separated from solutions
\nthat favor helping the people's welfare. Reading various reports
\nand articles on East Timor in The Jakarta Post reminded me of my
\nstay in Madison, Wisconsin, four years ago. It was in the summer
\nduring the Southeast Asia Summer Institute, including a program
\nshowing films from Southeast Asian countries.<\/p>\n
While reading a list of films to be shown, I was surprised
\nthat a film from East Timor was designated separately from the
\nheading of Indonesia. I asked the organizer, East Timor Action
\nNetwork, why it was not included in the Indonesian section. They
\ntold me that it depended on your perspective.<\/p>\n
I was not in the mood for arguing, so I entered the building
\nto see the film on the Santa Cruz massacre in 1991. Before the
\nmovie, they distributed fliers, pamphlets, brochures and
\narticles: We must keep telling so people know the truth, the
\ntestimony of Fatima Gusmao, an East Timorese woman; To resist is
\nto win statements by Jose Alexandre \"Xanana\" Gusmao, leader of
\nthe East Timorese Resistance; East Timor: Death of a nation by
\nJohn Pilger and Indonesia: Mass extermination and the
\nconsolidation of authoritarian power by Carmel Budiardjo.<\/p>\n
It was one-sided information brought to the public in the hope
\nof attracting international awareness on the issue of East Timor.
\nOutsiders would be content and satisfied if there was something
\nvery bad going on in our country. None of the many international
\norganizations which support the independence of East Timor gave
\nany assistance to halt the many riots, or gave a hand to the
\npeople suffering in the dispute called mahidi -- life or death
\nfor integration or proindependence. Indonesia has always taken
\nthe blame for wrongdoing in the troubled province.<\/p>\n
Since East Timor is part of Indonesia, it is our obligation to
\nsolve the East Timorese people's problems, and not let them be
\nencumbered by them. Indonesia is neither an imperialist nor
\ncolonial country. We would not have sent our troops to East Timor
\nin December 1975 without help from the United States, Britain and
\nAustralia.<\/p>\n
We urge the finding of solutions that can uplift the welfare
\nof the East Timorese. But to let them choose the option offered
\nby the Habibie administration would only make the issue worse.<\/p>\n
HAFIANSYAH MEGE<\/p>\n
Jakarta<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/east-timor-at-issue-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }