Habibie wants 'to be remembered for E. Timor'

By Kornelius Purba

JAKARTA (JP): President B.J. Habibie's startling decision to let East Timor become an independent state by Jan. 1 next year is influenced by a desire to prove to the world his statesmanship and courage in handling the province, aides believe.

His indignation at Australian Prime Minister John Howard's "lecture" on a fitting stance and Dili Bishop Carlos Felipe Ximenes Belo's refusal to the President a second time were other factors as he weighed the options, the officials agreed last week.

Habibie is convinced his decision is fully backed by a public tired of prolonged problems in the nation's youngest province, they concurred.

Habibie considers it vital to restore the nation's confidence, shaken by chronic economic recession and political upheaval.

A palace official quoted Habibie as saying recently that despite his likely short term as the country's third president, he wanted to be remembered by later generations for a historic decision.

"I will prove to the world that I can make a major contribution to world peace as mandated by our Constitution," the official recalled him saying.

Habibie believes that although he may be not reelected for another term at the end of this year, a successor would not be able to drop or put off the decision.

"It will roll like a snowball and no one can stop it," Habibie told his aides.

Habibie's foreign affairs advisor Dewi Fortuna Anwar said last week the President wants to be rid of a situation which has brought the country nothing but a headache and international embarrassment, huge economic costs and the loss of thousands of the country's soldiers and civilians.

Dewi said the predominantly Catholic province only contributed 7 percent to the country's annual budget, estimated to be at least Rp 200 billion per year.

She quickly pointed out that Habibie's decision was unrelated to religion, a fear of many.

Howard's letter in December, plus Australian foreign minister Alexander Downer's announcement on Jan. 12 that Canberra might eventually recognize East Timor as a free country, were considered insults, said Dewi.

In a letter dated Dec. 21, Howard advised Habibie to consider the settlement worked out for New Caledonia, a former French colony. The South Pacific island chain is to hold a referendum on self-determination after enjoying special autonomy under France.

"Your prime minister's proposal is unacceptable," Dewi quoted Habibie as telling Australian Ambassador John McCarthy during a meeting at Merdeka Palace on Dec. 22.

Another official speculated that Habibie may not have forgotten Downer's gripe that despite receiving multimillion dollar Australian aid, Indonesia did not support Canberra's application to join the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) in London last April, which Habibie attended as vice president.

Two months after Habibie replaced Soeharto last May, Downer met with the new president in an apparent attempt to clear up the misunderstanding.

"Pak Habibie may still remember the allegation," the official said.

Newsweek, Dewi said, came close to landing a scoop on Habibie's decision when its journalists interviewed the President on Jan. 16 at Merdeka Palace.

"Why should we remain a captive of East Timor? Why don't we just let them go if they no longer want to stay with us?" Habibie told Dewi before receiving the journalists.

According to Dewi, Habibie nearly told them about his plan when they asked about the province's future.

The secretary-general of the National Commission on Human Rights, Clementino dos Reis Amaral, indicated last Thursday the President was disappointed when Belo begged off meeting him in December following their first meeting in June.

"The President wished to know the reason for the bishop's rejection," Amaral said after meeting with Habibie on Thursday.

Habibie ordered Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Gen. (ret) Feisal Tanjung to discuss Howard's letter with ministers under his coordination on Jan. 25.

Alatas

The President consulted only a few members of his intimate circle before deciding on the stance.

They were Minister of Defense and Security/Armed Forces Commander Gen. Wiranto, Minister of Justice Muladi, Minister of Information Lt. Gen. Muhammad Yunus, Minister/State Secretary Akbar Tandjung, Secretary of Development Operation (Sesdalopbang) Lt. Gen. (ret) Sintong Panjaitan, and Dewi herself.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas was informed of the decision only a few days before the official announcement on Jan. 27.

"All ministers applauded when the President made the decision," Dewi said.

Although Wiranto strongly supported the plan, he took pains to state the decision to bring East Timor into the country's fold in 1976 was not wrong, Dewi added.

"Pak Wiranto's view is very similar to that of Pak Alatas, which they presented during the Cabinet meeting," Dewi said of the Jan. 27 gathering.

Habibie reportedly held the most intensive talks with Sintong, who advises the President on military affairs.

Sintong was fired in 1991 as commander of the Udayana Military Command overseeing East Timor, Bali and West Nusa Tenggara, following the infamous Nov. 12 shooting incident in Dili.

At least 50 people were killed when soldiers opened fire on demonstrators at Santa Cruz cemetery. Many East Timorese, including Bishop Belo, believe Sintong, whose track record was impressive, was made a scapegoat for the deaths.

"It is the President's own decision," Sintong said on Wednesday of the dramatic announcement on East Timor.

He refused to discuss the issue further, saying people would eventually know the full story.

Yunus, whose wife Antonia Jacinta da Costa Richardo is a native East Timorese, also strongly endorsed Habibie's plan.

"As East Timor's best son-in-law, I want to serve as Indonesia's first envoy to East Timor," Yunus joked after attending a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday.

"It is a landmark decision," Muladi said.