East Timorese here tell of concerns and hopes

East Timorese here tell of concerns and hopes

JAKARTA (JP): Whether they favored autonomy or independence,
East Timorese living in Jakarta and Bogor hoped the Aug. 30 self-
determination ballot would end the territory's long history of
suffering.

Instead, the announcement of the results on Saturday triggered
an unrelenting orgy of violence.

Interviewed by The Jakarta Post on Tuesday, the East Timorese
said they hoped calm and order would be restored soon.

As turbulence grips the land they know as Timor Loro Sae, they
find themselves far from home, worried about their relatives and
their property, as well as the uncertain future of the former
Portuguese colony.

Alfredo do Carmo, 35, a sports teacher who graduated from
Islamic '45 University in Bekasi and is currently waiting to be
assigned to a position in his homeland: "If the People's
Consultative Assembly (the MPR which must decide on whether to
endorse the ballot results) is in favor of the ballot results, I
will stay in Indonesia to build my life as a teacher.

Actually, I dreamed of a wide-ranging autonomy in which I
could one day establish a sports school through which I could
discover and train talented young East Timorese to be world-class
athletes.

You should know that God grants East Timorese the natural
talent to be athletes."

Alexander F. Gusmao, 26, is coordinator of the East Timor
Student and Youth Forum for Monitoring the Direct Ballot
(Formatu). He is married to a Central Java woman: "I'll take my
wife and her family members to East Timor if we get freedom. Now,
I am coordinating all young Timorese willing to go to East Timor
should the MPR agree to the ballot results in its November
meeting.

In the new state, I'll be a teacher and set up courses for
computer skills, English and Portuguese to help provide the new
state with qualified human resources."

Duarte Guterres, 23, a student at a computer college in
Cirebon, West Java: "I hope God will protect all the members of
my family in Dili. I rang my brother's office two days ago, but
nobody answered the phone. I prioritized my future to complete
college, but I'm worried the Indonesian government will halt my
scholarship."

Gregorio Correia Soares, 21, a student at ASMI business and
secretarial high school in East Jakarta: "I only want to complete
my college education here whatever decision is taken by the MPR
later. After that, I'll go back to East Timor to become an
entrepreneur. I urge the elites from both (proautonomy and
proindependent) camps to settle the dispute through
reconciliation to create peace in East Timor."

Alfer Fernandez, 26, unemployed: "Under the new independent
state, I will propose to the new government to grant me a
scholarship for an undergraduate degree. But I don't know what
I'll do if the MPR rejects the ballot results."

Jose Bareto, 29, who comes from Covalima regency in Suai and
is now a health worker at PT Indocement cement producer. He
recently married a Bogor woman: "I'm the eldest of seven children
and I'm very concerned about the current condition in my
homeland. So far, I know nothing about the status of my parents
and my siblings.

I'll take my wife back to Suai right after the MPR General
Session. I'll build East Timor, even though I have to start from
scratch. No matter how hard things are there, I must return home.
I'll continue my father's cattle business there."

Paulino, 29, now residing in Bogor who also works at the
cement plant in Cibinong: "I want to cry every time I think of
the ongoing clashes in East Timor which we all never dreamed of.
The worst thing is that there's no news about my parents who are
still there. I swear I must go back home to East Timor whatever
the MPR decides later to help develop the land. I want to take
care of my family's five-hectare plot there."

A 30-year-old soldier, who did not want to be named, said he
was worried about his family.

"But I leave them all in the hands of God. I could understand
the pain felt by all East Timorese as outbreaks of violence
continue to claim fatalities. Every one of us is bewildered by
all of this." (asa/21/edt)