Gus Dur visits E. Timor

DILI, East Timor (JP): President Abdurrahman Wahid became on Tuesday Indonesia's first head of state to set foot here since the majority of people in the territory voted for a breakaway from Indonesia last August.

In an unscheduled address to about 5,000 East Timorese who flocked the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET) compound, Abdurrahman brought a reconciliatory message, calling on the new neighbors to bury the hatchet of the past and open a new era of ties between the two nations.

The President, who received a warm welcome from the crowd, said people in East Timor and Indonesia had become the victims of oppression from his predecessor's regime.

"You were oppressed, we also were under tyranny. But Alhamdulillah (Thanks to God) the past period, which was full of hardship and pain, will end soon. Let us start building a better future for Timor Leste and Indonesia," said Abdurrahman, amid applause from the crowd.

Wearing a tais, the local East Timor scarf, the President promised he would allow the return of East Timorese students to Indonesia to continue their unfinished studies at Indonesian universities and guarantee their safety.

"Viva Gus Dur," a group of youths cheered at the President's pledge not to let the students be harmed during their stay in Indonesia.

East Timor's independence leader Jose Alexandre "Xanana" Gusmao, who described Abdurrahman, better known as Gus Dur, as a symbol of democratization and respectful of human dignity, escorted the President until he completed his three-hour visit of the country's former 27th province.

Abdurrahman's speech was interrupted, however, by crowds of demonstrators, who called for the punishment of former Indonesian Military (TNI) chief Gen. Wiranto and other military top brass for their alleged role in the violence which followed the ballot.

They also demanded that Wiranto help them find their relatives who were killed in the rampage.

"Wiranto, you must be held responsible for the massacre," they shouted.

After the President stepped down from he podium, Xanana approached the protesters and hugged an old woman, Cavemalida Costa Silva, and brought her to the President.

She asked the President to find her brother, former guerrilla leader David Alex and a relative, Jose da Costa. Both were allegedly kidnapped by pro-Jakarta militias in Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara.

"The President promised to find my brother," a tearful Costa Silva said after the meeting.

Dili Bishop Carlos Felipe Ximenes Belo, Baucau Bishop Basilio do Nascimento, Xanana and UNTAET head Sergio Vieiera de Mello greeted Abdurrahman at the airport amid tight security.

The President's entourage included TNI chief Adm. Widodo A.S., Attorney General Marzuki Darusman and Minister of Foreign Affairs Alwi Shihab.

The President's limousine had to stop for about 10 minutes, just about one kilometer from Komoro Airport, as a group of the families of victims of the post-ballot mayhem tried to convey their demand directly to the President.

Portuguese Police fired warning shots at the mob as they attempted to stop the President's bulletproof limousine.

Former president Soeharto named the street after his late wife Tien Soeharto. The name has since been changed to Jl. Hak Azasi Manusia (Human Rights).

After addressing the enthusiastic crowd, Abdurrahman also held a dialog with East Timorese leaders and witnessed the signing of a joint communique by Alwi and de Mello.

According to the communique, the two parties have reached several understandings, "including on the status of refugees, land border demarcation and maritime delimitation and the state pensions of East Timorese who were Indonesian civil servants".

In a joint news conference with Xanana and de Mello, the President reiterated his commitment to close cooperation with East Timor in achieving its full independence.

When asked whether Indonesia would give financial assistance to its new neighbor, the President replied: "Cooperation is not always in terms of money, and both of us are poor".

The President also visited Santa Cruz Cemetery and prayed at the small chapel inside. According to the Indonesian version, at least 50 people were killed and many went missing when the military allegedly opened fire at cemetery visitors on Nov. 12, 1991.

Accompanied by Widodo and Xanana, Abdurrahman later laid a wreath and prayed at the nearby Seroja Heroes Cemetery, the site of graves of Indonesian soldiers killed during tours in the territory.

"I would like to apologize for the things that have happened in the past ... for our friends, to the families of Santa Cruz, and those friends who are buried here in the military cemetery. They are the victims of circumstance that we didn't want," the President said. (prb)