'Bloodshed possible' over referendum

'Bloodshed possible' over referendum

By Putu Wirata

DENPASAR (JP): Over the short course of his new
administration, President B.J. Habibie and Minister of Foreign
Affairs Ali Alatas have made various efforts to handle the East
Timor question.

The government has proposed wideranging autonomy for the
former Portuguese colony in a bid to find acceptable solutions to
the issue of sovereignty. It recently pulled out 400 troops from
the military operations area, and will withdraw even more in its
campaign to appease concern of human rights violations in the
territory.

Calls for even more drastic measures, such as holding a
referendum, still abound. Proponents of such a move include
jailed separatist leader Alexandre "Xanana" Gusmao, but even
Moslem leader Amien Rais has supported the suggestion.

For the government, however, a referendum was never an option.
The Jakarta Post recently interviewed Maj. Gen. Adam R. Damiri,
the chief of the Udayana Regional Military Command overseeing
Bali, East Timor, East Nusa Tenggara and West Nusa Tenggara, on
the issue and others regarding East Timor.

Question: What is the comparative strength of those who demand
referendum, and those who are against it?

Answer: We never counted the percentage. The anti-integration
movements are usually initiated by youths and students who enjoy
the support of the diplomatic front of GPK (Security Disturbance
Group). Their number is small, but because of their intensity and
(ability) to make use of various moments -- for instance the July
17 commemoration (of East Timor's integration), they can mobilize
many to intimidate newcomers. So they appear to have many
supporters.

Actually, the prointegration group is much larger and has
access to even the remotest areas. They believe the issue of (the
validity of East Timor's) integration (into Indonesia in 1976) is
finished and is the only option for them to promote their
welfare. For them, what should be done now is not questioning the
integration, but what to do for its advancement.

Q: Given the increasingly serious polemics between the two camps,
do you think there could be more serious conflicts?

A: If the two camps have friction, there could be bloodshed.
Well, then, what we have to do is find ways to help the two
groups to live side by side in peace. Please don't think that the
best way to solve the East Timor question is through a
referendum.

Q: The government always says the prointegration group is bigger,
and has farther outreach. They should be able to win in a
referendum, then. So why be afraid of it?

A: They worry that a referendum may open old wounds. Before the
integration, many political parties in East Timor were embroiled
in conflicts.

We should learn from other countries, which were previously
divided but later reunited without referendum, for instance
Germany.

Q: What has the government been doing to bring the two camps
together?

A: We recently held a dialog (involving the two camps) in Baucau.
It was attended by the governor (Abilio Jose Osorio Soares), the
Dili bishop (Filipe Ximenes Belo), intellectuals, former regents
and anti-integration groups such as the Movement for East
Timorese Union and Reconciliation, students and others.

That was the first opportunity for the prointegration and
anti-integration groups to meet. It proceeded peacefully and in a
spirit of brotherhood.

Q: What did you notice from the meeting?

A: It was a closed meeting. Thoughts that were expressed there
were treated as input to improve East Timor. What's clear was
both groups were happy, feeling together and friendly toward each
other. We will invite those groups for another meeting in
Denpasar.

Q: The government has offered special autonomy for East Timor.
Security-wise, what would the format be?

A: I believe the idea for special autonomy is a step toward
democratization. It would be able to accommodate the aspirations
of the anti-integration groups so the potential to cause unrest
could be defused.

However, the concept was proposed by the central (government)
-- what we did was give input. Under the scheme, we will give
greater say to the provincial administration to execute and
manage development programs which are suitable for the East
Timorese, within the frame of the united Republic of Indonesia.