Taming Western media on E. Timor (2)<\/p>\n
By Al Busyra Basnur<\/p>\n
This is the second of two articles on the relationship between
\nthe Western media and East Timor.<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): There have been times when inaccurate reporting
\nby the Western media has threatened friendly relations between
\nIndonesia and other countries.<\/p>\n
The Western media's influence on arms deals recently between
\nIndonesia and the United States, Indonesia and the United
\nKingdom, and Indonesia and Australia in relation to both
\npolitical and economic issues, are examples.<\/p>\n
Fortunately, Indonesia's bilateral relations with these
\ncountries are so broad-ranging and so durable that the other
\ncountries were able to understand, whatever misgivings they might
\nhave had.<\/p>\n
Of course, appropriate action has to be taken whenever
\nmisrepresentation of Indonesia and East Timor occur in the
\n(Western) media. Indeed every Indonesian should lend a hand to
\nthe national effort to safeguard the country's good name.<\/p>\n
Above all, there should be an effort made to provide the
\nWestern media with the true facts about Indonesia, and East Timor
\nin particular, especially in countries where there are active
\ndetractors of Indonesia. Indonesia's foreign offices should play
\na leading and pivotal role in this endeavor.<\/p>\n
As well as this the activities of East Timor-related offices,
\nagencies and institutions should be enhanced in order to
\nunmistakably demonstrate that the Western media have misreported
\nthe real situation in East Timor.<\/p>\n
This is easier said than done because it would require a great
\ndeal of resources, creativity and coordination among several
\ninstitutions.<\/p>\n
History shows that whenever developing countries truthfully
\nportray themselves, they are largely ignored by the Western media
\nand by developed nations. Nevertheless, it is worth giving it our
\nbest effort.<\/p>\n
Alternatively we could call on the foreign journalists who are
\nbased in Indonesia to try to be well-informed when they report on
\nIndonesia and East Timor. This is because they do not just write
\nthe news, they also serve as resource people and sources for
\nother media.<\/p>\n
In short, they could and should help us tell our true story to
\nthe world, especially in regard to East Timor.<\/p>\n
It might also be a good idea if these Indonesian-based
\njournalists and even those based abroad, were regularly invited
\nto visit East Timor (beside the yearly program in the frame of
\nIndonesia's independent anniversary) so they can see for
\nthemselves the progress achieved in the province.<\/p>\n
Since its integration into Indonesia on June 17, 1976, East
\nTimor has risen from a state of utter backwardness (a heritage of
\nsome four centuries of colonial rule) to become socially and
\neconomically developed.<\/p>\n
In fact, the development success of Indonesia's youngest
\nprovince in development has surpassed that of the older
\nprovinces. The East Timorese have had their lives transformed.
\nThey have moved from abject poverty to relative prosperity. Many
\nprojects have been and will continue to be planned and
\nimplemented in order to improve the welfare of the East Timor
\ncommunity.<\/p>\n
There are now a good deal more education and training centers,
\npublic health centers, public roads, bridges and places of
\nworship than there were before integration.<\/p>\n
East Timor now has more than 800 churches compared to only 100
\nin 1974. There are now 30 kindergartens, 736 elementary schools,
\n112 junior high schools, 37 senior high schools and four colleges
\nin the province. In 1976 there were only 47 elementary schools,
\ntwo middle schools, one high school and no colleges.<\/p>\n
There are now 11 hospitals compared to only two hospitals in
\nthe past. Such progress has been made possible because of the
\nrapport between the government and the East Timorese public.<\/p>\n
Nevertheless, there are still a few dissidents -- some in East
\nTimor, others operating abroad -- who are bent on changing the
\nstatus of East Timor and who do not care at all about the
\nprovince's development.<\/p>\n
These dissidents, with the support of Fretilin leaders and
\nother detractors of Indonesia, have been making unrealistic and
\nunreasonable demands of the Indonesian government, such asking
\nfor East Timor to be made independent, or calling for it to be
\ngiven special status as a province, or for a referendum to be
\nheld to determine its political future.<\/p>\n
They have sought to embarrass the Indonesian government
\nthrough the rallies and rowdy demonstrations of their supporters
\nin various countries.<\/p>\n
To do that, they have used several influential NGOs and the
\nstudent activists of several universities to support their
\nstruggle.<\/p>\n
Although these activities are small in scale and involve only
\na few people, they nevertheless have a disrupting affect on
\ndevelopment of East Timor, and they besmirch the good name of the
\nIndonesian government and affect its ties with other countries.<\/p>\n
Although the integration of East Timor into Indonesia is an
\naccomplished fact, and development has continued unabated, there
\nare still some nations that do not officially recognize this.<\/p>\n
Even the United Nations does not officially recognize East
\nTimor's integration into Indonesia. This stems from a lack of
\ninformation or appreciation of the history of East Timor and of
\nthe present situation in the province.<\/p>\n
Perhaps there is a political agenda behind this refusal to
\nrecognize a simple fact of Indonesian history. What we need to do
\nnow is to get the Western media to report the news about East
\nTimor fairly and objectively by telling them the truth. Everybody
\nknows that the media is a \"tool\", but it is supposed to be a tool
\nwhich leads us to peace, stability and prosperity.<\/p>\n
At the same time, the Indonesian government should remain
\nfaithful to its continued support to the socioeconomic
\ndevelopment endeavors of the province. So, hopefully, the Western
\nmedia will eventually abandon its \"decades-old fantasy\" about
\nEast Timor.<\/p>\n
The writer is an international observer and an alumnus of
\nUniversity of the Santo Tomas, in Manila, the Philippines. He
\nworks for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The views expressed in
\nthis article are his personal views.<\/p>",
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