Youngest province set for investors<\/p>\n
By Imanuddin<\/p>\n
DILI, East Timor (JP): Twenty-one years after it was
\nintegrated into Indonesia on July 17, 1976, the former Portuguese
\ncolony of East Timor can no longer be considered an isolated
\nterritory.<\/p>\n
The United Nations still recognizes Portugal as the
\nadministrative power here, but Jakarta is extending itself to
\nspeed up development programs in the province.<\/p>\n
This approach has given East Timor infrastructure which is
\nmore than adequate for it to turn itself into a financially
\nindependent province. Public transportation now roams even the
\nsmaller streets of the province's towns.<\/p>\n
The Armed Forces and local administration have guaranteed
\nvisitors' safety and access to the province's 13 regencies. They
\ncan enjoy the province's 2,683.91 kilometers of asphalt roads,
\ntelecommunications and other supporting facilities.<\/p>\n
There are certainly some social problems that remain unsettled
\nand need inter-departmental cooperation to resolve them.<\/p>\n
\"We (the nation) have all agreed that there should not be any
\nquestions about the status of East Timor,\" said Judith J.
\nDipodiputro, a special assistant for public relations and
\ninternational cooperation to chief of the Indonesia-Portugal
\nFriendship Association.<\/p>\n
Jakarta has refused to hold a referendum on the territory's
\nfuture as demanded by the imprisoned leader of the East Timorese
\nFretilin separatist movement, Jose Alexandre (Xanana) Gusmao. The
\nIndonesian government claims that most of the 700,000 East
\nTimorese chose to be integrated into Indonesia in 1976.<\/p>\n
Francesco Mozina, a Portuguese Tropas (soldier) before East
\nTimor's integration, said the Indonesian government had achieved
\nmany things that the Portuguese administration had failed to do.<\/p>\n
Mozina, now living on nearby Atauro island, said East Timor
\nenjoyed development only after it was integrated into Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Principal Elias Fretes of the Santo Domingus Savio Catholic
\nElementary School in Baucau regency shared Mozina's opinion.<\/p>\n
\"Our children would not have been able to go to school if we
\nwere still under Portuguese colonial rule,\" he said.<\/p>\n
There were only 47 elementary schools in 1975. Now, the
\nprovince has 715 schools scattered across the province. There
\nwere two junior high schools in 1975, compared with 114 in 1996.<\/p>\n
A year before it was integrated into Indonesia, East Timor
\nonly had one high school. This number grew to 58 last year. The
\nprovince used to have no universities, but it has three now.<\/p>\n
Discontent<\/p>\n
Despite this proof of development, Judith said, many people
\nwere still dissatisfied.<\/p>\n
The province's human resources remain under developed and
\nunemployment has been a prominent source of discontent,
\nespecially among youths who have graduated with good educations
\nand tried to enter the job market.<\/p>\n
East Timor Governor Abilio Jose Osorio Soares said that about
\n25,000 people entered the territory each year to seek employment
\nor start a business.<\/p>\n
\"We must go on with East Timor's development programs,\" Abilio
\nsaid, adding that dissatisfaction over economic disparity and
\nunemployment should be answered by even better development and
\ndistribution.<\/p>\n
Geologist J. Sinambela of the Timor Foundation for
\nReconciliation and Development suggested the establishment of a
\nkey industrial project which could stimulate the development of
\nother sectors, including agriculture and smaller industries.<\/p>\n
\"We have identified the cement industry as the most
\nappropriate industry for East Timor,\" Sinambela said.<\/p>\n
Violence and sporadic security disturbances by East Timorese
\nseparatist rebels continue.<\/p>\n
But Judith said development should not be delayed or stopped
\nbecause of the rebels' campaign to disrupt security.<\/p>\n
Several street children, who admitted to frequently taking
\npart in violent action including the burning of markets and
\npublic property, supported Judith's opinion that the campaign
\naimed to disrupt development.<\/p>\n
\"We were paid to create those disturbances,\" a high school
\ngraduate told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
East Timor Military Command Chief Col. Salamat Sidabutar said
\nlast Sunday that the number of separatist rebels had dwindled to
\na point where the movement was insignificant.<\/p>\n
Sidabutar did not deny that it had taken the Armed Forces a
\nlong time to curb the activities of separatists, but said: \"It
\nwas because our soldiers had been instructed not to use a
\nsecurity approach indiscriminately.\"<\/p>\n
\"Soldiers are required to take persuasive measures and try to
\navoid bloodshed,\" he said. \"These people are our brothers.\"<\/p>\n
Sidabutar said that most soldiers in remote areas were more
\nactive in public education programs than in military activities.<\/p>\n
\"Many of our soldiers teach people how to read and write and
\nmaster certain basic skills,\" he said.<\/p>",
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