E. Timor leader stresses reconciliation
E. Timor leader stresses reconciliation
JAKARTA (JP): An East Timorese separatist leader based in Europe is urging all Timorese to reconcile their differences and work together in the development of the territory.
"My personal commitment is to see that the East Timorese youths work together to develop East Timor," Abilio Araujo told journalists yesterday at the conclusion of his visit here for talks with Indonesian government officials.
Araujo, who lives in Portugal, ducked questions of whether he has denounced or still adheres to the separatist cause.
Apart from the Indonesian government, the Timorese themselves have an obligation to build their province, he said. "It is the duty of the East Timorese who have the ability to make a contribution," he said before leaving Indonesia.
During his week-long visit, Araujo met with President Soeharto and several cabinet ministers, including Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas, State Minister of Research and Technology B.J. Habibie and Minister of Education and Culture Wardiman Djojonegoro.
The former Portuguese colony of East Timor was integrated as Indonesia's 27th province in 1976. Several Timorese, however, continue to oppose the integration and have fled abroad to wage an international campaign against Indonesia.
Though known as one of the leading East Timorese separatist leaders, Araujo, unlike fellow Fretilin leader Ramos Horta, has tempered his position in the last two years and actively pursued reconciliation among Timorese.
Along with Indonesia's ambassador-at-large for East Timor affairs, Lopes da Cruz, Araujo initiated the 1993 and 1994 meetings in England which brought together integration supporters and opponents. Both men attended the All-Inclusive East Timor Dialog in Austria last year.
Araujo acknowledged yesterday the billions of rupiahs of funds invested by Jakarta on East Timorese development, saying that many changes would not have occurred without the government's financial assistance.
He explained that during the meeting with Soeharto he urged the President to continue with the government's commitment to the province.
"I asked Bapak President to please continue to love the East Timorese," he said, adding that "there is still a lot to do."
Accompanied by Lopes da Cruz and Indonesian Ambassador to Britain Junus E. Habibie, Araujo seemed satisfied and impressed by the reception given to him and the warm welcome from Soeharto.
Apart from financial assistance, Araujo stressed the importance of creating a stable sociopolitical environment there as a basic prerequisite to economic development. "As a Timorese I am concerned. My concern is the fact that we need stability in East Timor, we need development," he said.
Araujo stressed the importance of stability in the province several times, but did not detail how it should be achieved or the causes of the prevailing situation.
Nevertheless, he admitted that "stability is still not completely reached...We should not pretend that the problem does not exist."
Of his visit here, Araujo said it was in the context of an inter-East Timor dialog, and in the spirit of Christmas.
Without being specific, he revealed that many people in Portugal opposed his trip to Indonesia and his meeting with President Soeharto.
When pressed for his stance on East Timorese independence, Araujo remained vague and said that his position is to support reconciliation and the ongoing talks between the Indonesian and Portuguese foreign ministers under the aegis of United Nations Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali.
The seventh round of the trilateral talks will be held in London on Jan. 16.
Meanwhile in Dili, Portuguese journalist Luis Pires from the RTP International media, conducted a two-day visit of the province over the weekend, Antara reported.
On Saturday he went to the Aileu regency, about 50 kilometers south of Dili, to see a monument commemorating the victims of a massacre by Fretilin forces during the civil war in East Timor.
According to Antara, Pires is the ninth Portuguese journalist that has been allowed to visit East Timor.(mds)