Megawati pressured over E. Timor visit<\/p>\n
Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
President Megawati Soekarnoputri is now under pressure from both
\nsides as to whether or not she should go to East Timor to attend
\nthe official independence declaration of the former 27th province
\nof Indonesia.<\/p>\n
East Timor president-elect Xanana Gusmao is planning to visit
\nJakarta to personally hand over the invitation to Megawati,
\nincreasing international pressure on her to attend Gusmao's
\nswearing in ceremony as East Timor's first president on May 20.<\/p>\n
East Timor, which for more than two decades was a province of
\nIndonesia, is preparing for the presidential inauguration and
\ndeclaration of independence as the UN Transitional
\nAdministration's mission in East Timor will end in May.<\/p>\n
Dozens of heads of state are expected to gather in Dili to
\nwitness the declaration of East Timor's full independence.<\/p>\n
Earlier, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan had
\nalready sent an invitation to Megawati to attend the independence
\ncelebrations.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, an East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) legislator urged
\nPresident Megawati to attend East Timor's independence
\ncelebrations to lay down strong foundations for bilateral ties
\nbetween the two countries.<\/p>\n
Mell Adoe, a member of NTT Legislative Council, stressed that
\nEast Timor had become an independent state which Indonesia
\nrecognizes.<\/p>\n
\"Indonesia should show the world that Indonesia is a
\ndemocratic country and respects the rights of the East Timorese
\npeople for independence and to form an independent state,\" Mell
\nwas quoted by Antara as saying on Monday.<\/p>\n
Indonesia's NTT province shares borders with East Timor.<\/p>\n
However, the country's politicians have expressed vehement
\nobjections to Megawati's visit to East Timor, arguing that the
\ntiming was not right for her to go to the former Portuguese
\ncolony.<\/p>\n
On Monday, speaker of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR)
\nAmien Rais joined the opposition, saying that Indonesia should
\nkeep its dignity and position in Southeast Asia.<\/p>\n
\"It is better not to go there. It does not necessarily mean
\nthat we consider East Timor as an enemy,\" Amien said here on
\nMonday.<\/p>\n
\"East Timor's secession took place amid misunderstanding and
\nviolence. The secession has brought some problems, including
\nrefugees,\" he added.<\/p>\n
House Speaker Akbar Tandjung last week urged the President to
\nskip East Timor's declaration of independence.<\/p>\n
Chairman of House Commission for foreign affairs Ibrahim
\nAmbong had also said that Indonesia should only send a
\nministerial level official.<\/p>\n
Both emphasized that the secession of East Timor from
\nIndonesia had left unsolved problems of refugees and human rights
\nabuses.<\/p>\n
Vice President Hamzah Haz confirmed on Sunday that the
\ndecision as to whether or not the President would attend the
\ncelebration would be made next week.<\/p>\n
Despite the fact that East Timor will soon to be an
\nindependent country, some Indonesian leaders still show an
\nunwillingness to release the former territory.<\/p>\n
The unwillingness had been shown when pro-Jakarta militias
\nwith the backing of military officers launched a bloody rampage
\nin the territory of about 700,000 people after they voted to
\nbreak away from Indonesia in a United Nations-sponsored
\nreferendum.<\/p>\n
The militias destroyed almost 80 percent of local
\ninfrastructure and forced over 200,000 East Timorese to flee to
\nWest Timor.<\/p>\n
East Timor's independence has also been a bitter pill for the
\nIndonesia Military as a total of 18 mid-level civilian and
\nmilitary leaders as well as police personnel are on trial for the
\nviolence.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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