Working together<\/p>\n
The ensuing furor since Sunday's clash between a military
\npatrol of the International Force for East Timor (Interfet) and
\nIndonesian troops on the border separating East Timor and East
\nNusa Tenggara once again illustrates the precarious nature of
\nIndonesia's relations with Australia. Involvement of Australian
\ntroops in the reported fatal shooting of an Indonesian policeman
\nhas clearly bolstered anti-Australian sentiment in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
There seems to be no clear agreement on what precisely
\nhappened in the incident. The Indonesian Military (TNI) account
\nis that Interfet soldiers forayed briefly across the border and
\nshot at the Indonesians, killing the policeman and injuring three
\nothers. Interfet denies this version, insisting that its troops
\nwere on patrol well inside East Timor when they were shot at by
\npro-Indonesia East Timorese militias and were forced to return
\nfire in self-defense.<\/p>\n
However one may look at the brief but fatal skirmish, one fact
\nseems clear: There is an urgent need for both sides -- TNI and
\nInterfet -- to cooperate more closely and to better coordinate
\ntheir measures to prevent similar fatal mix-ups in the future.<\/p>\n
TNI Commander Gen. Wiranto's offer to minimize border tensions
\nby holding joint patrols in the area is to be commended. So is
\nhis stated intention to disarm and rein in the pro-Jakarta East
\nTimorese militias who are operating in Atambua, Kupang and
\nelsewhere in East Nusa Tenggara. A joint investigation of the
\nincident would certainly help to clear up any remaining confusion
\nand help prevent similar clashes.<\/p>\n
Since there is little doubt that Wiranto's offer will be
\nwholeheartedly accepted by the Interfet command in Dili, it only
\nremains to be seen how the promises and good intentions are
\nimplemented on the ground. The point is that it is important not
\nonly for Indonesia but for all the parties involved in the UN
\npeace efforts in the territory -- Australia in particular -- to
\ndo all they can to defuse the possibility of tensions escalating.<\/p>\n
However heated emotions in Jakarta may be over what many
\nIndonesians consider Australian arrogance and interference in
\nthis country's internal affairs, Indonesians must keep firmly in
\nmind that long-term relations between the two countries are too
\nimportant to be lastingly disrupted by irritations, big or small,
\nwhich are transient in nature.<\/p>\n
After all, however Indonesians may feel over the loss of East
\nTimor, they will sooner or later have to accept the reality that
\nEast Timor became a past issue as far as this country is
\nconcerned once the United Nations took over. However strong the
\nobjections, there is no way Indonesia can defy the world and turn
\nback history by reclaiming East Timor, especially now that the UN
\nand UN multinational forces are effectively in control of the
\nterritory<\/p>\n
Hopefully, a joint investigation into the incident can be held
\nforthwith. Measures to avoid a repeat of the clash must be taken
\npromptly, especially if border violations by Interfet troops did
\nindeed occur. While no argument can justify the militias' actions
\nto block humanitarian efforts to help the thousands of East
\nTimorese refugees now sheltering in camps in East Nusa Tenggara,
\nneither can border violations be justified. It would only
\naggravate Indonesia's already strained relations with the world
\noutside, particularly Australia.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/working-together-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}