Foreign promises disrupting E. Timor stability<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Foreign campaigns and idle promises from abroad
\nare disrupting stability in East Timor and its integration with
\nIndonesia, international relations expert Jusuf Wanandi said.<\/p>\n
Relentless human rights campaigns abroad are not helping the
\nsituation in East Timor. In fact, they are hindering the peaceful
\ndevelopment of the province, Jusuf said.<\/p>\n
\"The foreign campaigns are impeding the integration process
\ninto Indonesia,\" Jusuf told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.<\/p>\n
He explained that many irresponsible human rights campaigners
\nare sowing discontent among East Timorese by promising something
\nthey cannot deliver.<\/p>\n
Their behavior are stirring unrest and creating a highly
\nexplosive political climate in the territory.<\/p>\n
Despite two decades of integration with Indonesia, the
\nsituation in East Timor remains volatile. The foreign campaigns
\nhave intensified in recent years, and the East Timor separatist
\ncause is gaining more publicity in the international media.<\/p>\n
Jusuf, the chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Centre for
\nStrategic and International Studies, said East Timorese youths
\nare being enticed with promises of independence which will never
\nbe fulfilled.<\/p>\n
\"This is ridiculous. They are being promised things which
\ncannot be given by the campaigners abroad,\" he said.<\/p>\n
As a result, he said, Timorese youths are growing impatient.<\/p>\n
Even the complete integration of the Indonesian state as a
\nwhole took several decades, remarked Jusuf.<\/p>\n
Separately, Indonesia's permanent representative to the United
\nNations, Nugroho Wisnumurti, said yesterday that a solution to
\nthe East Timor problem is contingent upon both domestic and
\nforeign factors.<\/p>\n
\"A solution abroad is influenced by the efforts in East Timor.
\nAnd progress in Timor itself will be achieved if there is
\nmovement in negotiations abroad,\" he told journalists yesterday
\nafter meeting with President Soeharto at Merdeka Palace.<\/p>\n
\"This is quite a dilemma,\" he added.<\/p>\n
While several countries have recognized East Timor's
\nintegration with Indonesia, the United Nations still recognizes
\nLisbon as the administrative authority in East Timor. Under the
\naegis of the UN Secretary-General, the Indonesian and Portuguese
\nforeign ministers have held talks to find an internationally
\nacceptable solution to the situation in East Timor.<\/p>\n
Nugroho stressed the need for more dialog between the
\ngovernment and the East Timorese people to counter the negative
\ncampaigns being waged from abroad. Realities in the territory, he
\nsaid, need to be dealt with using a political and cultural
\napproach.<\/p>\n
Nugroho said the East Timorese should \"know exactly the
\nbenefits of integration\", and be allowed to express their
\ngrievances.<\/p>\n
\"If one of them has a critique or a complaint, don't
\nimmediately stamp them as an enemy,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Disgruntled East Timorese youths have captured international
\nheadlines in the past six months by forcing their way into
\nforeign embassies in Jakarta to demand political asylum.<\/p>\n
Nugroho expressed his belief that talks will help the restless
\nEast Timorese understand. \"Being idealistic, they are easy to
\ninfluence by ideas and dreams which are often unrealistic,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Apart from dialog, Nugroho emphasized the need to hear the
\ngrievances of the East Timorese.<\/p>\n
\"We have to really listen to them...This is part of our
\nsensitivity towards the East Timorese people,\" he said, adding
\nthat stability will never be achieved otherwise.<\/p>\n
\"And without stability, an international solution to the
\nproblem will never be found,\" said Nugroho. (mds)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/foreign-promises-disrupting-e-timor-stability-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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