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)