Indonesia has nothing to do with East Timor mayhem<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The government regretted any attempt to ruin
\nIndonesia's image in front of the international community and
\ndenied all accusations against the country over the recent mayhem
\nin the former province of East Timor.<\/p>\n
The Foreign Ministry's Director General for Political Affairs
\nHassan Wirajuda told The Jakarta Post on Friday that the
\ngovernment does not consider what happens in East Timor to be
\nIndonesia's domestic problem.<\/p>\n
\"In accordance to our forward looking principles, we consider
\nwhat happens in East Timor as their own internal problem. We
\nregret any statement trying to link what happens there with us,\"
\nHassan remarked.<\/p>\n
\"We reject any attempt to link the Indonesian Military (TNI),
\nespecially the Army Special Force (Koppasus), with the riots in
\nEast Timor,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Hassan was commenting upon accusations, reported by several
\nforeign media organizations, that suspects arrested by local
\nauthorities over recent riots in Baucau area, on the eastern side
\nof the former province, were linked to Koppasus.<\/p>\n
It was also reported that the recent assassination attempt of
\nthe former rebel Alexandre \"Xanana\" Gusmao was linked to the
\nspecial unit of the TNI.<\/p>\n
Hassan said that the government consider East Timor to be a
\nseparated part of the country and that the current situation
\nshould be the problem of East Timor and not Indonesia.<\/p>\n
\"We want to see ourselves as a good neighbor of East Timor and
\nwe consider them to be separated from us. We regret any attempt
\nto name Indonesia as a scapegoat for any incident happening
\nthere,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Koppasus unit spokesman Capt. Farid Makruf echoed Hassan,
\nsaying that the unit had left the territory and was not even
\nstationed in West Timor anymore.<\/p>\n
\"The accusation isn't true. All our actions are done by order
\nfrom the TNI chief. I guarantee that none of the recent riots in
\nEast Timor were done by our troops,\" Farid told the Post by phone
\non Friday.<\/p>\n
However, he said, there is a possibility that some deserted
\nsoldiers ignited the riot as several TNI soldiers from the
\nUdayana Military Command, which oversaw East Timor, chose to stay
\nin the area after the 1999 ballot.<\/p>\n
\"I see there is an attempt to discredit us. But time will
\nanswer these accusations,\" Farid remarked.(dja\/02)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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