Freedom at midnight

Freedom at midnight

At the stroke of midnight on Monday, May 20, a new nation will
be born on Indonesia's eastern border on the island of Timor. The
Democratic Republic of Timor Lorosae will then join the free
nations of the world. Timor Lorosae's proclamation of
independence on Monday caps a long history of unrest and
resistance, first against the Portuguese who held it as a colony
for more than 450 years and later against Indonesia, which
controlled the territory for some 24 years as its 27th province.

According to plan, a grand mass led by Nobel Prize winning
Roman Catholic Bishop Mgr. Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo of Dili and
Baucau Bishop Mgr. Basilio do Nascimento will usher in the
official program of festivities marking Timor Lorosae's
independence in the early evening, followed by a program of
dances and other festivities.

But while Monday will be a day of joyous celebration in Timor
Lorosae, a different mood prevails among sections of the
Indonesian population here at home. For those Indonesians,
especially among the military, who have, for more than two
decades fought to uphold this country's sovereignty and control
over East Timor there is an undeniable sense of betrayal. After
all, an unaccounted number of Indonesian soldiers gave their
lives in Timor Timur -- as Indonesians refer to it -- for what
they believed was their patriotic duty.

Of course, to be fair it can be said that thousands of East
Timorese also died, either in peaceful rallies or in guerrilla
skirmishes with the Indonesian military, fighting for what they
believed was their innate right to self-determination. However,
not all who feel betrayed by the developments that have taken
place in East Timor are Indonesian soldiers. Many East Timorese
who live in Indonesia and have become residents of this country
and see Timor Lorosae's independence as a bitter pill that must
somehow be swallowed.

Take, for example, the case of Fransisco Fernandes Dasilba, an
East Timorese and a politician who has become an Indonesian
citizen. For Dasilba and others like him, it is hard to accept
Monday's declaration of independence, although as an Indonesian
citizen he says he will follow any decision the government makes.
He says, "For us it is not a declaration of independence, but a
handover of independence from the UN to Fretilin," in a reference
to the most popular political party whose armed wing, FALINTIL,
was at the forefront of the struggle against the Indonesian
military's occupation for 24 years.

Amid all this, the majority of Indonesians appear indifferent.
After all East Timor does not share the same history as the other
parts of the country. Furthermore, the 1945 Constitution
explicitly states that the Republic of Indonesia encompasses only
"the areas that were formerly the Netherlands East Indies." East
Timor was never a part of the Dutch colony but belonged instead
to Portugal.

Nevertheless, it is important to remember that from the
geographical, economic, cultural and ethnic points of view, East
Timor cannot be easily separated from Indonesia. And even as the
new rulers of Timor Lorosae have made Portuguese the official
language, to be used in official establishments and in schools,
the Indonesian language, Bahasa Indonesia is widely understood,
about 60% of the people were educated with it, and it is
mentioned as a "working language" or business language, along
with English, in their new constitution. It is likely to maintain
such a position due to the country's close proximity to
Indonesia.

For all these reasons, it is important that Indonesia
maintains good and constructive relations with Timor Lorosae. It
is in Indonesia's self-interest to see to it that East Timor
develop into a stable and prosperous country, since continued
unrest and poverty could result in a destabilized country that
could, in turn, become a source of trouble, not only for
Indonesia, but for the region as a whole.

In conclusion, therefore, we congratulate President Xanana
Gusmao and all the people of Timor Lorosae on the attainment of
independence and welcome them into the family of the free nations
of the world.