Troops 'to be reduced gradually in E. Timor'<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Dili Bishop Carlos Felipe Ximenes Belo walked
\nout of a meeting with President B.J. Habibie here yesterday
\napparently impressed and convinced of his sincerity to resolve
\ntroubles in Indonesia's youngest province.<\/p>\n
The Nobel laureate lauded Habibie as sincere with a genuine
\ndesire to help East Timorese and described the meeting as a new
\nstarting point for the people of East Timor.<\/p>\n
\"My impression is that Indonesia has an extraordinary
\npresident with a strong sense of humanitarianism, kindness and
\nsympathy. And he is very open-minded,\" Belo said after his 75-
\nminute meeting with Habibie at the Bina Graha presidential
\noffice.<\/p>\n
Despite this seemingly new sense of faith, the bishop warned
\nagainst any instantaneous results on the issue, no matter how
\nmuch conviction was put into the process.<\/p>\n
\"Even Rome or Jakarta was not built in one night. It needs
\ntime, patience and cooperation. What is important is a strong
\ngoodwill,\" Belo said.<\/p>\n
Habibie was accompanied by Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali
\nAlatas and Minister\/State Secretary Akbar Tandjung in the
\nmeeting.<\/p>\n
The meeting came less than a week after the President revealed
\nthat he would be willing to give a special autonomy status to the
\nprovince.<\/p>\n
The former Portuguese colony was integrated into Indonesia in
\n1976, but the United Nations has not recognized it.<\/p>\n
According to Belo, Habibie assured him that military personnel
\nwould be gradually withdrawn from the tiny province of 800,000.<\/p>\n
\"Little by little, they will start it, and little by little,
\nthey will withdraw,\" Belo remarked.<\/p>\n
During the meeting, Belo presented Habibie with his everyday
\nexperiences in East Timor, including tales of significant human
\nrights violations.<\/p>\n
Belo told Habibie that people were still not allowed to freely
\ntravel from one village to another, and that many were even
\nforced by security forces to live in resettlement areas.<\/p>\n
\"The President asked me why it was until now that people were
\nstill not free to travel. This is one example of how open he is
\nto accept our suggestions,\" Belo noted.<\/p>\n
Belo said the meeting focused on practical issues, which he
\ndescribed as the people's most urgent needs.<\/p>\n
\"I did not discuss about autonomy because for us it is better
\nto talk of concrete things, such as daily necessities,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"The main thing we talked about was how to improve the
\nsituation in East Timor. On how to lift the dignity of the East
\nTimorese,\" he added.<\/p>\n
When asked whether he requested the release of jailed rebel
\nleader Jose Alexandre \"Xanana\" Gusmao, the bishop bluntly
\nreplied: \"He is not the only man from East Timor. We are 800,000
\npeople. How could you ask only for Xanana and not for all East
\nTimorese.\"<\/p>\n
Before the meeting, Minister of Information Lt. Gen. Muhammad
\nYunus said the East Timorese people were actually not seeking
\nindependence but were more upset with rampant corruption,
\nviolations of human rights and poor law enforcement.<\/p>\n
\"The demand is for the enforcement of justice,\" said Yunus,
\nwhose wife is East Timorese.<\/p>\n
\"My wife also supports special autonomy for East Timor,\" Yunus
\nsaid smiling. (prb)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/troops-to-be-reduced-gradually-in-e-timor-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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