Developing East Timor

Developing East Timor

We support the ideas of Joao Mariano de Sousa Saldanha in his newly launched book entitled Political Economic Development of East Timor (Ekonomi Politik Pembangunan Timor Timur).

Also suggestions from experts like Dr. Hadi Soesastro of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies about the need to broaden the dimension of the solution through a dialog with Portugal.

Among their ideas is the need for the former Portugal colony to have a share in the Timor Gap oil and gas mining; to increase the participation of East Timorese in the development of their own province and to give more autonomy to the province.

We also share the idea of Governor Abilio Soares that the East Timorese ethnic be recognized as one of the country's ethnic groups.

It is important to pay heed to all of these suggestions judging from the fact that East Timor is the country's youngest province.

-- Suara Karya, Jakarta