E. Timorese reflect on integration

This coming Wednesday marks the 20th anniversary of East Timor's integration into Indonesia.

On July 17, 1976, President Soeharto signed into law a legislation enacted by the House of Representatives a day earlier which accepted an East Timorese petition to join the republic.

The petition itself was signed by tribal leaders representing the majority of East Timorese in December 1975 at the height of a bloody civil war which erupted in the wake of the hasty withdrawal of the Portuguese colonial administration.

In the last 20 years, Indonesia has poured billions of rupiah into East Timor to build infrastructure which was virtually nonexistent at the time of integration. The money went towards the construction of roads, schools, hospitals, places of worship and other facilities.

The government, however, continues to face dissension from East Timorese within and outside the province. Members of Fretilin, an armed group seeking a separate state, continue to wage a sporadic guerrilla battle from their jungle hideout. There is also strong discontent among urban youths, which in recent years has often translated into riots, sometimes with racial or religious intonations.

Then there is also the question of the absence of international recognition of the integration. The diplomatic battle is far from being resolved and it is now being waged through the United Nations, which still regards Lisbon as the administering power.

In connection with the anniversary, The Jakarta Post presents a series of articles on this page and pages 9, 10 and 11.

DILI, East Timor (JP): How do the East Timorese see East Timor after 20 years? The Jakarta Post spoke to a number of people in East Timor to find out about their views and feelings on the occasion of the anniversary.

Abilio Jose Osorio Soares, Governor of East Timor, believes in the "three-pillar" concept in the development of the mainly Roman Catholic province.

"The Church, the government and the Armed Forces (ABRI) must work hand in hand to develop the province," he said.

He is aware that some people oppose ABRI in East Timor, but he does not worry because, he says, these are isolated cases and do not reflect the general feeling of the people.

"The U.S. President himself can't convince everyone in America to feel the same way. It's just the same in East Timor."

"We are working hard to settle our differences. Honesty and openness are the keys to solving the problem."

Bishop Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo declined to be interviewed for this occasion. "I can't. I don't have the time to talk to any reporters," he said.

Armindo Maia, acting rector of the state-run University of East Timor, agrees that there has been rapid development in East Timor, but adds that many people have not enjoyed the fruits of development.

"The development in East Timor is physical development carried out by people from outside East Timor," he said.

The East Timorese do not have the sense of belonging on the new facilities built by the government because they feel they are not involved in the development process, Maia says.

Many East Timorese feel their dignity has not been respected, he adds.

He accuses the government of poor planning and management in East Timor. He cites as an example the construction of schools when the government has no idea what the graduates should do after graduation. As a result, many young people in East Timor are unemployed.

"Educated people who are unemployed can be dangerous," he warns.

Stanis Gouterres, 26, a newspaper vendor with senior high school background, was left an orphan by the civil war.

"My father was killed by the Fretilin in 1982 during the civil war," he says.

His mother died in 1975 after the Portuguese put her in jail. He was only five years old when the Portuguese colonial administration sent her to prison. He never found out why.

Peace is the thing Stanis wants most on this earth.

He says he is disturbed by the violent demonstrations and riots in East Timor.

"They stage demonstrations because they want independence. I don't agree with them. We can't work by ourselves. We don't have the knowhow and technology. We can't even make needles."

Teresia Fatima Da Costa, 24, full time housewife with a junior high school background, says integration allowed her to attend school.

"Integration means a lot to me because I could go to school. The Indonesian government is not as tough as the colonial rulers. My parents told me that under colonial rule, they had to pay huge sums of money for tax."

"Today, we can go wherever we want to. I even flew to Java, free."

Teresia got a free plane ride to Java in September 1991. She was one of about 100 high school graduates sent there for a seven-month internship at Matahari Department Stores.

Matahari, one of the biggest chain stores in the country, was planning to open a new store in Dili. On Nov.12, 1991, however, a bloody riot broke in Dili, and Matahari canceled its investment plans.

Teresia returned to Dili in April 1992 and later married Mario, who was also a Matahari intern. She has two children from the marriage and is a housewife.

"I'd still want to work, if there was a chance. The government should make more efforts to cope with unemployment in East Timor. I hope the private sector will invest and absorb some of the unemployed."

Domingos Pritas, 22, a security guard with a private company, considers himself lucky to have a job.

"I know many people who are unemployed. I hope the government will pay more attention to unemployment," he says.

Domingos, a high school graduate, was only two years old when East Timor integrated into Indonesia in 1976. He still vividly remembers the conflict during the early years of integration.

"I remember, when I was four or five years old. I heard the roar of warplanes passing over our house. I was not afraid. I was excited, but my parents were scared," he recalls.

He says he has no complaints about the current situation, which he says is relatively safe compared to 20 or 10 years ago.

Bertha Imaculada, 19, daughter of a successful contractor.

She has just graduated from high school and is planning to continue her studies in the University of Jember, East Java, "to get more experience and to become independent."

She says she is quite happy with the situation in East Timor, which allows people access to adequate education.

"I don't know about politics and I don't want to get involved in politics. I want to concentrate on my studies. That is the most important thing for my future."

Juliana, who is in her 60s, is the mother of seven children. She sells tais (East Timorese traditional cloths) for a living.

She refuses to talk about the past and looks confused when asked about integration.

"If you want to buy my tais, please make your choice. Why are you asking these questions? I don't know what integration is and I don't care."

"What is important for me is to survive, to eat and to drink," she said.

Abilio Da Costa X, University of East Timor student and commander of the students' military corps, is concerned that religious and racial riots are still breaking out.

"I thank the security people who handled the situation well and contained the problem," Abilio says.

"I call upon the people, especially those who belong to the minority, to resign themselves to the situation in East Timor," he said.

Abilio said spiritual guidance is important for East Timorese youths. But "material guidance" is no less important.

"What I mean by material guidance is the guidance to find jobs," he says, noting that most of those people involved in the riots are unemployed. (sim)