E. Timor dialog calls for mutual contributions
E. Timor dialog calls for mutual contributions
By Aboeprijadi Santoso
STADT-SCHLAINING, Austria (JP): Participants at the All- Inclusive Intra-East Timor Dialog issued a declaration calling for the establishment of a Timorese cultural center and Lisbon's assistance in developing the province's human resources.
At the end of their four-day meeting in this small Austrian village on Friday, the Timorese participants produced a seven point declaration which focused on the need to develop the people of East Timor.
The participants "express their interest to the government of Indonesia and Portugal in the establishment of an East Timorese cultural center in Dili with the aim of undertaking research on the culture," the declaration said.
It further welcomed concrete assistance from Portugal to help with human resources development.
The declaration suggested technical and financial aid for East Timor University along with other practical training as ways in which Lisbon could contribute.
The former Portuguese colony of East Timor was integrated as part of Indonesia in 1976.
However, the United Nations still recognizes Lisbon as the administrating power there and has sponsored tripartite talks with the Indonesian and Portuguese foreign ministers to find an internationally acceptable solution to the issue.
During the fifth tripartite talks in January, 1995, it was agreed that a dialog should be established between Timorese who support and oppose integration.
Many separatist leaders are now living abroad and continue their activities from outside Indonesia.
Fourteen Timorese from Indonesia and 14 more from abroad took part in the meeting, which followed up last year's inaugural meeting.
The focus on the development of the Timorese people was evident in four of the declaration's seven points.
The declaration proposed to Jakarta "the provision of further opportunities for East Timorese to have a greater role in the administration of the territory as well as in economic policy."
It noted that special attention should be given to the promotion of local small-scale industries such as handicrafts and textiles.
Originally comprised of 15 points, the seven point Burg Schlaining Declaration 1996 ended with a reaffirmation of the need to implement human rights measures.
The final declaration expressed the participants' readiness to continue the dialog if requested -- despite earlier calls for its institutionalization -- and their support for the ongoing tripartite talks.
Though unanimously signed, not everyone seemed fully satisfied with the end result which produced little in the way of actual political direction.
Mari Alkatiri, a prominent Fretilin separatist figure, was said to have signed it with "profound reservations".
Abilio Araujo, another Fretilin figure who has somewhat mellowed his stance in the past few years and even met with President Soeharto, said he only felt "moderately happy".
The Indonesian Timorese, however, said that they now found their compatriots abroad to be more understanding.
A look of satisfaction was most evident in the face of F.X. Lopes da Cruz, who is one of Jakarta's principal proponents of integration.
"It was not a matter of winning or losing," remarked Lopes, who officially holds the title of ambassador-at-large with "special tasks". He maintained that what was important was working together and reaching an agreement on issues which would help the Timorese people.
The Timorese participants from Indonesia are no doubt more satisfied than they were during the first round last year, when they were duped by anti-integrationists who managed to include UN Resolution 37/30 in the final declaration.
The resolution, they say, should not have been referred to since it maintains the need for self-determination and is not the basis for the tripartite talks.
On Saturday, visiting Portuguese foreign minister Jaime Gama met with several participants from the dialog.