Golkar offers to assist E. Timor solution

Golkar offers to assist E. Timor solution

JAKARTA (JP): Golkar's central board announced on Friday it
would form a special team to support the choice of wide-ranging
autonomy for troubled East Timor.

In a statement issued here, the once dominant political
grouping which has now officially transformed itself into a
political party, said it "understood" the government's decision
to present the two options to resolve the East Timor issue.

"Golongan Karya (Golkar) intends, together with all components
of the nation, to help make the first option a success.

"However after if all efforts have been exhausted and the
first option is rejected, then Golongan Karya would desist and
leave it up to the coming general session of the MPR (People's
Consultative Assembly)," the statement said.

Last month President B.J. Habibie abruptly changed Indonesia's
policy on the integration of the former Portuguese province.

The people of East Timor will be given the option of remaining
with the republic under a special status with wide-ranging
autonomy.

If the proposal is rejected, the government will then propose
to the Assembly, which convenes in August, to allow it to "part
ways" with the 27th and youngest province.

The latter would mean East Timor reverting to its prior status
as a territory with Lisbon as its administrative power. In
effect, the decision would lead toward an independent East Timor.

Golkar said its decision to support the autonomy option was in
consideration of the historical background of East Timor's
integration into Indonesia in 1976.

The statement said Golkar would hold consultations with
various parties, including Timorese abroad such as Ramos Horta
and Mari Alkatiri, along with seminars to disseminate
information.

Golkar's special team will comprise Golkar senior executive
Abdul Gafur as its chairman, with Assembly member Marzuki
Darusman and legislator Abu Hasan Sazili as his deputies.

The special team will have its own working committee, with
Assembly member Ansel Da Lopez and National Commission on Human
Rights member Clementio dos Reis Amaral as its coordinators.

Separately in a meeting with Habibie at Merdeka Palace on
Friday, visiting International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
president Cornelio Sommaruga asked that his organization be given
more flexibility to place personnel throughout country.

Sommaruga said he would like the ICRC to be able to station
people in places like riot-torn Ambon in Maluku province.

The ICRC currently only has permission to operate in Irian
Jaya, East Timor and Aceh.

Although not expressing an objection, Habibie directed the
ICRC chief to discuss the matter with related ministers.

Green light

Asked by journalists following the meeting if the ICRC had a
green light to visit Ambon, Cornelio replied: "Up to now not, but
I hope that it will be made very quickly in the future."

Meanwhile in Canberra, the Melbourne Age newspaper in a report
on Friday said Australian diplomats in Indonesia warned in a
series of confidential diplomatic cables that an independent East
Timor would collapse into chaos and violence.

As quoted by Reuters, the Age said the cables warned that as
many as 15,000 people might flee their homes in East Timor if the
territory became independent.

The cables predicted an escalation of violence, a breakdown of
basic services and economic collapse.

One of the cables, written by an official of the government
aid body AusAID, said the Timorese resistance movement expected
to put "active guerrillas" and exiles into administrative,
technical and professional positions in a new government.

The cable, sent to Australian Prime Minister John Howard,
foreign minister Alexander Downer and Australia's defense and
intelligence organizations, warned a non-East Timorese exodus
would have dire consequences for the economy and services.

"We understand that only one doctor is East Timorese and the
vast majority of technicians staffing government-owned water,
power, postal and telecommunications (facilities) are non-East
Timorese," the newspaper quoted the cable as saying.

"Private investment ... is expected to dry up in the short
term," it said. "Prices are expected to increase, particularly
given that East Timor is a net importer of goods and reliant on a
nonindigenous transport infrastructure."

Aid to the province will have to focus on the need to staff
essential positions and stockpile food, medicine and equipment to
help them, it said.

One of the cables also indicated Australia may not wish to
take the lead role in a coordinated aid effort, which conflicts
with Downer's official comment this week that Australia would
have "no choice" but to take the primary role.

The Australian government has said it will support
independence for the province, although it would prefer it be
given wider autnomy and remain within Indonesia.

Earlier on Thursday night, Downer said in a television
interview that East Timor would need US$50 million a year in
international financial assistance if it became independent.

Speaking on ABC television's Lateline Program, Downer said the
total fund was half of the GDP given by the Indonesian
government.

According to Downer, the donor countries, particularly
Portugal and Australia, have to allocate that amount, considering
the lack of the local people's revenues.

He said the $50 million fund is only enough to maintain the
lower living standards of people, which is not more than $100 a
year.

Downer is set to meet with Habibie on Thursday in Jakarta
after attending a three-day ministerial forum between Indonesian
and Australian ministers. (prb/edt/mds)