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)