East Timor anniversary passes without incident
JAKARTA (JP): After weeks of swirling rumors of impending clashes between demonstrators and security forces, quiet pervaded in Dili, East Timor, yesterday as residents chose to stay indoors on the province's 22nd anniversary of integration into Indonesia.
The only formal ceremony marking the former Portuguese colony's integration was held on the grounds of the governor's office.
Tightly guarded, the ceremony was attended by about 500 people, mostly government employees.
Dili residents told The Jakarta Post by telephone that the shunning of formal celebrations was a deliberate measure.
"We discussed it with pro-referendum, informal Timorese leaders in Dili and had decided to urge people to stay home today to avoid violence that could occur," said Manuel Viegas Carrascalao, head of the Reconciliation and Unity Movement of the East Timorese People.
Another resident, Jos Luis, told the Post that residents conducted "a silent protest" by staying at home to show their political stance.
"Only civil servants and Armed Forces members were around the streets of Dili today... residents stayed home," said the coordinator of the Law, Human Rights and Justice Foundation in Dili.
Manuel and Jos said only a few residents heeded the provincial government's call to raise the red-and-white Indonesian flag, unlike on integration days in the past.
No violence was reported but security officers patrolled the town in open trucks and on foot in groups of 10 to 15.
In the past few weeks, an estimated 7,000 migrants to the province have fled amid fears of violence and threats they would be driven out on integration day.
Jos dismissed reports of an exodus of tens of thousands of non-Timorese to the border town of Atambua, East Nusa Tenggara, about 300 kilometers southwest of Dili.
"We've sent a team there, but have found it was not true."
Jos believed the rumors were intentionally spread to create the impression Timorese were hostile to migrants.
"The facts are not like that... native Timorese live in harmony with migrants."
Dialog
In his address during the ceremony, Governor Abilio Jose Osorio Soares stressed dialog as the solution to the province's troubles.
"The only way to move toward that direction is to hold dialog among us, among those who live here and those who live abroad, to enable us to manage the province based on objectivity and reality," he was quoted by Antara as saying.
Abilio said the special autonomy offered by President B.J. Habibie for the province was a "fair and realistic" offer.
Separately in Jakarta, Minister of Information Muhammad Yosfiah expressed personal concern over the exodus.
"Some of my relatives have also fled," he said after meeting with Habibie yesterday.
His wife, Antonia Yacinta da Costa, is a native East Timorese. The minister is from Ujungpandang, South Sulawesi, a city whose traders dominate the East Timor economy.
United Nations Special Envoy on East Timor Affairs Jamsheed Marker, who arrived in Jakarta Thursday, met with jailed East Timor separatist leader Jose Alexandre "Xanana" Gusmao in Cipinang jail, East Jakarta, yesterday morning.
The UN has been sponsoring talks between the Indonesian and Portuguese foreign ministers to find an internationally acceptable solution to the East Timor issue.
Marker is scheduled to meet with Habibie this morning.
Later yesterday, Xanana also met with Dili Bishop Carlos Felipe Ximenes Belo who was on a visit to the capital.
Speaking to reporters after the two visits, Xanana hailed the planned opening of diplomatic interest sections in Indonesia and Portugal, saying it would help improve relations.
"My release should not be made a precondition for the talks on East Timor, including the opening of a special interest body between Indonesia and Portugal."
Portugal recently included Xanana's release as a condition to the opening of the diplomatic interest representation.
Xanana also said that demonstrations were not the solution and that it was more important to create a conducive climate for dialog.
"I've said that if all Timorese are pro-integration then I would follow. But the reality is different and there has been no opportunity for people to express how they feel," he was quoted by Antara as saying.
"We have really never been anti-integration. But the way it is forced upon us to be part of Indonesian territory is what we don't like."
Separately here yesterday, Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas said he was set to meet his Portuguese counterpart for the next round of talks under the auspices of the UN secretary-general in August.
Alatas said UN Secretary-General Koffi Annan had invited the Indonesian and Portuguese foreign ministers to a meeting early next month, although the exact date and place have yet to be set.
The meeting is likely to discuss Indonesia's latest proposal on special autonomy status for the province.
Alatas said that during a meeting with Marker on Thursday, the UN special envoy said Lisbon appeared to favorably greet the Indonesian offer.
"Marker got the impression that the Portuguese government has given a positive reaction to the government's offer which is considered as a new proposal," he said in a hearing with House Commission I on foreign affairs and information.
He said Marker also confirmed that the Portuguese government was interested in discussing further the Indonesian proposal in tripartite talks with Indonesia and UN.
The foreign minister also said that Bishop Belo gave a positive response to the proposal.
"I have explained to him the proposal in detail and as far as I understand Belo considers the Indonesian government's offer of special status as a good proposal," he said. The two met here on Thursday.
According to Alatas, Belo gave input that in 15 to 20 years after the special status took effect, the government should give people in the province the opportunity to evaluate whether they would continue with the special status or make a self- determination referendum. (rms/prb/aan)