East Timor and development

I feel privileged to work and live in Indonesia and during my stay so far (more than one and a half years) I have tried hard to improve my knowledge of Indonesia's history, culture and current affairs.

It is against this background that watching Ramos Horta being interviewed by CNN television following his recent address to the Hong Kong Foreign Correspondents Club, I found myself becoming disappointed and feeling a little bewildered by his remarks.

Ramos Horta indicated in the interview that the people of East Timor were oppressed, poor, had few job opportunities, no prospects and no longer had the right to self determination. Is this really correct?

Much of what he said appeared biased and lacking in substance. CNN did not ask him pertinent questions such as: How many millions of dollars of investment have the Indonesian authorities pumped into East Timor? How many new roads have been constructed? How many new hospitals, schools and other public facilities have been built? How many new jobs have been created through development in the region? Are the people now much less poor than they were 20 years ago?

Sadly, too few people outside Indonesia seem to know that Indonesia has done far more for the people of East Timor in the past 20 years than Portugal did in more than 200 years.

Although members of the Indonesian Foreign Ministry and Diplomatic Corps have tried to present a more balanced view, the time has come to be more vocal. Unfortunately the Nobel Peace Prize gives Ramos Horta instant credibility and if he chooses not to give a balanced view as in the CNN interview, Indonesia will not win any friends. Surely now the best form of defense is attack but in a rational, non emotional and informative way. Just look at the facts concerning Indonesia's commitment to develop East Timor for the common good of the people. The facts will speak for themselves and give those people living outside Indonesia a better understanding of the issues.

TONY JENNINGS

Jakarta