E. Timor controversy likely to remain
JAKARTA (JP): The East Timor question will remain a thorn in the side of Indonesia's diplomats for quite a while, a senior official said yesterday.
Anti-Indonesia lobbyists are still very active, playing up the issues surrounding East Timor's integration into Indonesia in international forums, Director General of Socio-cultural Affairs and Information Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Djauhari Nataatmadja, said.
"They will continue to corner Indonesia at every international forum," he said in a hearing with the House of Representatives Commission I which oversees security, information and foreign affairs.
Among the lobbyists are those grouped with the Coalition for the Independence of East Timor, the East Timor Foundation and Community Aid Abroad, all of which are based in Australia. There are also some affiliated with East Timor Alert Network, the East Timor Relief Association and the East Timor News Agency, Djauhari said.
Also present at the hearing was Director General of Public Information of the Ministry of Information, Soetjipto.
Djauhari predicted that critics would focus primarily on the "security approach" they say is still used by Indonesia in handling situations in East Timor, Aceh and Irian Jaya.
They will also focus on Indonesia's treatment of political prisoners and labor activists, he added.
He said the bloody "Dili incident," which took place on Nov. 12, 1991 and was witnessed, recorded and widely broadcasted by foreign reporters, "totally changed the direction of Indonesia's diplomacy."
Since then, Indonesia's diplomatic efforts have been almost totally devoted to repulsing international criticism and restoring Indonesia's marred image, he said.
He said the efforts had brought about results. "This is evident from the increasing number of news mentions about Indonesia. Whereas they seemed to focus entirely on East Timor before, now they put more emphasis on Indonesia's economic development," he said.
According to the national investigation commission, 50 people were killed in the incident after protesters and security personnel clashed at Santa Cruz cemetery, Dili.
The United Nations has still not recognized Indonesia's sovereignty over the former Portuguese colony.
Djauhari said Indonesia's membership in various organizations, such as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Asia -Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, has helped to improve its image.
Responding to House member Tjokong Tarigan, who asked about the role of non-governmental organizations in providing information for international consumption, Soetjipto said that 2,000 NGOs had not registered their names to the Ministry of Home Affairs.
"Most of them are 'disadvantageous' to the government, and a decree is currently being prepared to organize them. Some, however, can be -- and have been -- helping the government," he said.
Djauhari added that the government must "carefully choose the appropriate NGOs to cooperate with".
Spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Irawan Abidin explained that they have been using the services of professional media consultants for the past three years.
"We are using their services to improve our international public relations by publishing books on political events, making presentations and lobbying," he said. He added that the ministries of forestry, trade, labor, finance and the state secretary has also been making use of consultants. (pwn)