East Timor tribal leaders blast UN over talks<\/p>\n
By Ridwan M. Sijabat and Yacob Herin<\/p>\n
DILI, East Timor (JP): Thirteen tribal chiefs and dozens of
\nleaders of various East Timorese social and youth organizations,
\nsupported by about 4,000 people, held a political rally yesterday
\nto reaffirm their commitment to remaining part of Indonesia.<\/p>\n
In a statement presented to Governor Abilio Jose Osorio
\nSoares, the leaders criticized the United Nations for organizing
\nan intra-East Timor dialog over their heads.<\/p>\n
"We are always behind the government's efforts to seek
\nreconciliation with all East Timorese in exile who oppose the
\nintegration," the statement read. "But we are against the planned
\nreconciliation meeting initiated by UN Secretary General Boutros
\nBoutros-Ghali because he himself has determined the individuals
\ninvited to the meeting without consulting with the Indonesian
\ngovernment."<\/p>\n
The meeting, planned for April 24-26 in the Austrian city of
\nSalzburg, is now in jeopardy after both the Indonesian government
\nand pro-Indonesian East Timorese leaders criticized the UN chief
\nfor not consulting with them, most notably in relation to the
\nlist of invitees.<\/p>\n
The meeting was one of the points agreed to during the last
\ndialog between Indonesian and Portuguese foreign ministers, held
\nunder the auspices of the UN. It is considered to be a part of
\nthe confidence-building measures necessary to settle the East
\nTimor problem at the United Nations once and for all.<\/p>\n
Local East Timorese leaders have long insisted that those who
\nare fighting for a separate state represent a tiny and declining
\nminority.<\/p>\n
Abilio said he would ask the government to protest at the UN's
\nactions in determining, unilaterally, all the participants in the
\nSalzburg meeting. "If the UN respects Indonesia's sovereignty, it
\nshould have consulted the government in determining those to be
\ninvited to the East Timor discussion."<\/p>\n
Abilio said East Timor's integration into Indonesia in 1976
\nwas "indisputable."<\/p>\n
Those who were "still dreaming" of a separate East Timorese
\nstate should accept this fact, drop their lost cause and return
\nto the province to help its development, he said. "Even if the
\nsun rises in the west and sets in the east, there will still be
\nno change to the integration," he said.<\/p>\n
The tribal and organization leaders said they would fight
\ntooth and nail against any forces attempting to disturb the
\nintegration of East Timor in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Their statement said: "The province of East Timor was born as
\na result of the struggle of East Timorese people for years to be
\nfree from 450 years of Portuguese colonialism. And this
\nintegration is the realization and honoring by the Indonesian
\ngovernment and people of human rights in East Timor."<\/p>\n
Integration was one political course for achieving East
\nTimor's self-determination, freeing East Timor's people from
\ncolonialism, it said. "Changing the integration's history would
\nbe a betrayal of the East Timorese people's aspirations and the
\nstruggle of their heroes who fought for the integration."<\/p>\n
The East Timorese leaders also gave their wholehearted support
\nto the Indonesian Armed Forces and their efforts to maintain
\nstability and safeguard development in the province.<\/p>\n
They said they would set up a new organization to maintain and
\nstrengthen the integration and its noble values.<\/p>\n
"The organization, to be called Garda Muda Penegak Integrasi
\n(Young Guards for the Defense of the Integration), will be a
\nvenue in which East Timorese youth will be educated and trained
\nto maintain and defend the integration," the statement said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/east-timor-tribal-leaders-blast-un-over-talks-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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