Fast solution on E. Timor favored

JAKARTA (JP): President B.J. Habibie dropped another bombshell on Thursday. He wants to see an independent East Timor by January 1 next year.

The announcement came nearly two weeks after his shocking motion to grant the disputed territory independence from Indonesia if the East Timorese and the international community reject Jakarta's offer of wide-ranging autonomy.

Speaking to a group of business leaders, the President said on Thursday he wanted Indonesia to be free from the heavy burden which East Timor had become.

"If I am asked about the government's proposal, (I would say) just give (East Timor) independence," Habibie told executives of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry at Merdeka Palace.

Later in the day, Habibie reiterated to the National Commission on Human Rights his determination to pursue this course of action.

He emphasized the government would submit a proposal for independence for East Timor to the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), which is scheduled to convene its general session at the end of the year.

"We do not want to be burdened by the problem of East Timor after January 1, 2000," Habibie told the business leaders.

His advisor, Dewi Fortuna Anwar, said the process of separation would likely begin in July next year.

The government said Indonesia should receive a "yes" or "no" reply to its proposal of autonomy for the territory by April. Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas and his Portuguese counterpart Jaime Gama met in New York last week to discuss the proposal under the auspices of United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

The meeting failed to achieve significant progress, but a second round of negotiations will be held on March 10.

"Twenty-two years ago, they knocked at our door and the MPR accepted them, and now if they no longer want (to stay with us), I will return the decision to MPR," Habibie stated.

Habibie's remarks came just one day after jailed East Timorese rebel leader Jose Alexandre "Xanana" Gusmao was moved from Cipinang Prison in East Jakarta to a special detention house in Central Jakarta.

East Timor was legally integrated into Indonesia in 1976 through law No. 6 of the same year. The integration was upheld by MPR decree No. 6 in 1978.

The UN, however, never recognized the move and still regards Portugal as the administrative power of its former colony. Australia is the only western country which recognizes Indonesia's sovereignty over the tiny province.

However, Australia unexpectedly changed its policy in December last year. In a letter to Habibie dated Dec. 21, Prime Minister John Howard persuaded the President to make a historic decision on East Timor, and indicated that Australia would eventually recognize an independent East Timor.

Alatas acknowledged Howard's letter was a major influence in Habibie's decision on the separation.

"A settlement would enable you to put the issue behind you. It would make a substantial difference to Indonesia's standing in the world, with the benefits that it could bring," Howard said in his letter.

While Habibie's future is still uncertain, he said that he wanted the next government, whoever it is led by, to carry out his decision on East Timor. "The next president has to do it," he said.

Later in the afternoon, the President also received five members of the rights commission, including secretary-general Clementino dos Reis Amaral, Maj. Gen. (ret) Syamsuddin and Police Maj. Gen. (ret) Koesparmono Irsan.

Prior to the meeting, Amaral chatted with journalists and proudly said the commission was bringing an interesting proposal on East Timor to Habibie.

"Oh my God, this proposal has become outdated now," Amaral said after journalists told him of Habibie's Jan. 1 schedule.

Amaral did not disclose the details of his proposal. After meeting with Habibie, however, he said the President had agreed to the planned establishment of an independent peacekeeping commission to prevent chaos and human rights abuses during this critical period for East Timor.

The plan is similar to Xanana's suggestion of a peace commission comprising pro-independent and pro-integration supporters, members of the Armed Forces, local government officials and church leaders, aimed at facilitating the search for a final settlement to the dispute in the province.

"The function of this commission is to unite all East Timorese people," Amaral remarked. (prb)