Why Mega must go to Dili<\/p>\n
Geopolitical reasons dictate that President Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri should be present in Dili on the occasion of the
\nindependence of Timor Lorosae and the installation of President
\nXanana Gusmao. The fact is that an independent state, formerly
\nthe 27th province of the Republic of Indonesia, will be born on
\nthe island of Timor, which is within Indonesia's geopolitical
\ndomain.<\/p>\n
There are many that maintain that this development need not
\nhave happened. But we have only ourselves to blame, that despite
\nall our good intentions and sociopolitical investment in the
\nformer province, after serious upheavals the United Nations, as
\ninterim administrator, is preparing it for independence. The
\nimportant step that Jakarta has to take at this stage is to
\ndevelop a strategic view concerning Timor Lorosae in the sense of
\ntransforming it into a good neighbor, and not a potential source
\nof problems. President Megawati's presence in Dili on May 20 to
\ntake part in the festivities welcoming the birth of the new
\nnation and state is meant to underscore that strategic step. A
\nnumber of items should be addressed in laying the foundations of
\na mutually beneficial relationship between Jakarta and Dili.<\/p>\n
First, whatever problems that remain as a consequence of the
\nchanged status of East Timor should be comprehensively resolved.<\/p>\n
A number of meetings have been held between Indonesia and the
\nUnited Nations Transitional Administration for East Timor
\n(UNTAET) to discuss the inherited problems, such as the status
\nand financial obligations to members of the Indonesian civil
\nservice in the former province, the status of the assets of the
\nformer Indonesian provincial administration, the status and
\nobligations to students from East Timor who are studying under
\nIndonesian state scholarships in various institutions of higher
\nlearning in Indonesia and a number of related issues.<\/p>\n
We suggest that Jakarta be magnanimous and not waste time
\nbickering over trivialities, especially with regard to the East
\nTimorese students. We strongly recommend that the Megawati
\ngovernment continue to finance their studies and after their
\ngraduation offer them the opportunity to return to Timor Lorosae.
\nThey will be our best investment to maintain good neighborly
\nrelations. We would also like to suggest that President Megawati
\nin going to Dili should carry with her at least three programs to
\nbe offered to President Xanana Gusmao's new government.<\/p>\n
First, a program to sustain the teaching and usage of the
\nIndonesian language (Bahasa Indonesia), which by now is used as a
\nmeans of social communication in Timor Lorosae. Megawati on the
\noccasion of her visit could perhaps donate a few thousands copies
\nof the Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia (General Dictionary of the
\nIndonesian Language) published by Balai Pustaka in Jakarta. This
\ndictionary is a reliable reference of the Indonesian language
\nthat is still being taught in some schools in Timor Lorosae.<\/p>\n
Megawati could also offer the services of at least a few
\nhundred teachers of the Indonesian language and literature to
\nwork in Timor Lorosae as part of the Indonesian assistance
\nprogram. There are strong reasons why we should promote the
\nteaching of the Indonesian language in Timor Lorosae since it
\ncould function as an effective instrument for good bilateral
\nrelations.<\/p>\n
Second, President Megawati should offer a modest program of
\nassistance in agricultural development to the new Xanana
\ngovernment. During the Indonesian administration of East Timor
\nsome innovative agricultural programs were introduced in the
\nformer province. A small Indonesian agricultural mission could
\nassist Timor Lorosae in laying the foundations of a suitable
\nagricultural base.<\/p>\n
As a third item we would like to suggest that President
\nMegawati offer her counterpart in Dili the services of a small
\nteam of Indonesian specialists with long experience in
\nnegotiating energy contracts based on the Indonesian concept of
\nproduction sharing. It is in Indonesia's interests that Timor
\nLorosae should benefit from its energy resources so that it will
\nnot become an international basket case.<\/p>\n
It should therefore be clear that the need for President
\nMegawati to go to Dili need no longer to be questioned. The
\nimportant thing is to formulate the geopolitical foundations that
\ncan highlight why it is in Indonesia's long-term interests to
\nestablish a stable relationship with Timor Lorosae. It might also
\nbe advisable for President Megawati to stop over in Kupang on her
\nway home to Jakarta, to explain those reasons, both to the local
\nadministration and to the community at large.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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