UNAMET must not take sides<\/p>\n
I support Mr. Florence Dos Santos' letter concerning the role
\nof United Nations Mission in East Timor (UNAMET) which appeared
\nin The Jakarta Post on Aug. 5, 1999. UNAMET's role in this
\nmonth's referendum is very strategic in nature. As a mission of
\nthe world body, UNAMET must exercise its mission with full
\nresponsibility without the slightest bias for or against either
\nsides (proindependence or prointegration).<\/p>\n
It disappoints me that UNAMET has failed to show its integrity
\nas an international arm of the UN and favor one side over the
\nother. Mr. Santos said that one Australian UNAMET staffer even
\nflew an Australian flag and in Liquica the Indonesian red and
\nwhite flag was torn down by a proindependence group.<\/p>\n
I share Mr. Santos's view that Australia has a special
\ninterest in East Timor due to the huge Timor Gap Project. But I
\nbelieve Australia, as a post-colonial power, could easily act in
\na way that is shameful. When the Australian prime minister
\nvisited East Timor a few weeks ago, we saw how he acted like a
\ngodfather giving instructions to the Indonesian government.<\/p>\n
UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan also behaved in the same way
\nby arbitrarily postponing the referendum date. All the
\nunfavorable things happening in East Timor, as far as the
\nreferendum is concerned, might result from the too lenient policy
\non the part of the Indonesian government in dealing with
\nviolations of referendum procedures.<\/p>\n
It should be taken into consideration by all foreign personnel
\nin East Timor that they are guests there and as guests they
\nshould behave accordingly.<\/p>\n
MUHD. RAMZY HASIBUAN<\/p>\n
Jakarta<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/unamet-must-not-take-sides-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }