East Timor's independence endorsed

East Timor's independence endorsed

JAKARTA (JP): The People's Consultative Assembly (MPR)
approved on Tuesday to relinquish East Timor after 23 years under
the Republic of Indonesia.

Assembly commission B completed their deliberations of a draft
decree repealing the 1978 decree which incorporated East Timor as
Indonesia's 27th province. All factions agreed in their overview
to accept the result of the Aug. 30 self-determination ballot in
the former Portuguese colony.

More than 78 percent of voters in East Timor rejected
Indonesia's wide-ranging autonomy offer in the United Nations-
sponsored ballot.

Endorsement of the decree clears the way for a transitional UN
administration prior to full independence for East Timor, for
which preparations are already under way.

The Assembly factions, including the Indonesian Military
(TNI)/National Police faction, agreed to scrap the old decree.
However, the Indonesian Democratic of Struggle Party (PDI
Perjuangan) did not make an explicit statement and reiterated its
attack on President B.J. Habibie, who made the autonomy offer.

"East Timor is an example of a victim of the logic and
calculation which sparked a decision based only on pragmatic
reasons and not empathy," faction spokesman Laksamana Sukardi
said.

The TNI/National Police faction said the Assembly had no
choice but to repeal the 1978 decree because the international
community had recognized the independence vote, despite many
complaints over alleged irregularities during the ballot process.

"As a part of the international community we have to accept
it," the faction said in its statement.

The Golkar Party of Reform faction said Indonesia must honor
its commitment to the UN and international community to let East
Timor separate from Indonesia because the majority of people had
voted for independence.

The Assembly's endorsement was marked by an emotional
statement by an East Timor-born legislator who regretted
President B.J. Habibie's decision to let go of the territory
without taking into account the fate of prointegration people or
those who had sacrificed their lives for the integration.

"We lost our children, we lost everything and we do not know
where to go, because the government just abandoned us like this,"
said tearful Golkar representative Natercia Osorio Soares.

Assembly Speaker Amien Rais allowed Natercia to finish her
statement. Presidential front-runner Megawati Soekarnoputri was
also unable to hide her emotion and burst into tears. Probably
for the first time during the General Session, a speaker received
a standing ovation reception from the Assembly members.

Hand over

Speaking to reporters before the official endorsement,
Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas indicated that Indonesia
would likely hand over East Timor to the UN by the end of the
year if the Assembly approved the ballot returns.

"The time is not definite, but it will be done by the United
Nations in the short term, this year. It will be discussed
together with the United Nations," Alatas said.

Meanwhile, East Timorese prointegration leader Basilio Araujo
said he would accept the decision taken by the Assembly.

"We believe the 700 members of MPR have seriously pondered all
the good and bad consequences of any decision they are going to
take," Basilio told The Jakarta Post.

He said he did not feel sad if the Assembly decided to
acknowledge the independence of East Timor and revoke the decree
on the integration of the area into Indonesia.

"We feel very happy. Because we are free now from the burden
of the military party ... we can now show to the world the
genuineness of our struggle," Basilio said.

Basilio said the East Timor prointegration group would not
make plans for their future until the new Cabinet revealed its
policy on East Timor.

"After the policy is clear to us -- which we expect to happen
about two weeks after the formation of the Cabinet -- we shall
hold a national congress in Kupang to make choices for our
future," Basilio said.

He said at the congress, prointegrationists would choose
whether to continue the struggle or accept the offer of
Indonesian citizenship.

"If we choose Indonesian citizenship, we have also to decide
whether we shall live in East Timor or Indonesia. For the moment,
it's not safe for us to remain in East Timor because Interfet
keep chasing after us and want to kill us," he said, referring to
the Australian-led multinational force assigned to restore order
in East Timor.

Abilio said if the pro-Jakarta group chose to wage a struggle
against an independent East Timor "we shall combine a physical
struggle with diplomacy". (rei/jsk/byg/rms/prb)