Golkar urges restraint in East Timor uproar
Golkar urges restraint in East Timor uproar
JAKARTA (JP): The ruling Golkar has joined the chorus of calls
for restraint over the alleged anti-Indonesia remarks by East
Timor Bishop Carlos Felipe Ximenes Belo in a German magazine.
Golkar chairman Harmoko yesterday called on the public not to
take hasty action in relation to the alleged remarks, and to give
Belo time to think and clarify matters. His call was seconded by
human rights activists Marzuki Darusman, Clementino Dos Reis
Amaral and Asmara Nababan.
"We should wait for Belo's explanation about the statement in
the Der Spiegel magazine. Only after that can we know whether he
was right or wrong," Harmoko said in Semarang yesterday.
He said he expected Belo would soon clarify matters to the
government and the House of Representatives. "If it was true that
he defamed Indonesia, then he must be held accountable," he said.
The Oct. 14 edition of the magazine quoted the Nobel Peace
Prize laureate as saying that Indonesian troops treated East
Timorese people like "scabby dogs and slaves." This report
sparked wide controversy, making the headlines of many Jakarta-
based newspapers for days.
Marzuki, deputy chairman of the National Commission on Human
Rights, said yesterday the commission has decided to wait for
Belo's explanation before taking further action.
"The bishop said he would explain things on Nov. 24. We should
all respect his decision," Marzuki said, adding that the public
had been unfair in launching excessive and groundless accusations
toward Belo.
Asmara Nababan, another commission member, said the uproar
over the statements did not help solve the problems that actually
exist in East Timor.
"It only adds fuel to the fire," Asmara said. He said that the
people who acted so defensively over Belo's statement might be
those who were ignorant of matters in East Timor.
Hendardi, executive director of the newly-established
Association of Indonesian Legal Aid and Human Rights Protection
(PBHI), said Indonesia would improve its international image if
it gave Belo the opportunity to clarify matters.
"Engineering anti-Belo demonstrations will, on the contrary,
damage Indonesia's image," he said, pointing out that the United
Nations has yet to recognize East Timor's 1976 integration into
Indonesia.
Belo, a native East Timorese, has not denied the comments and
has promised to explain in the East Timor capital of Dili on Nov.
24.
Meanwhile, support for Belo continued to grow, especially in
Dili. Some 3,000 high school and university students, government
and private employees, marched along the streets of Dili.
The six-hour march started at the East Timor University and
ended at the center of city.
"Long live Belo! Viva Belo!" the supporters yelled.
(imn/har/06)