Hardiyanti urges Timorese to unite

JAKARTA (JP): The 24 Portuguese citizens of East Timor origin ended their one-month visit here with a call for all East Timorese at home and abroad to settle their differences and join hands to rebuild Indonesia's youngest province.

"Let's bury the hatchet and look to a future that is full of unity," said Siti Hardiyanti Rukmana, the head of the Portugal- Indonesia Friendship Association, who is sponsoring the visit.

"We hope that their trip here was constructive for the East Timorese people," she said.

The Portuguese citizens arrived here last month as part of a family reunion visit agreed upon at the London talks between East Timorese living abroad and Indonesia.

They visited Yogyakarta, Bali and East Timor, where they celebrated Easter with their relatives. They also met with Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas in Jakarta.

Many of them seemed deeply impressed with developments that have taken place since East Timor integrated with Indonesia in 1976.

"Many of my friends (in East Timor) don't agree with this trip, but I believe I'd still rather be stuck in a rain of rocks in my homeland than a shower of gold in somebody else's country," said Pedro Barros, who left his home over 30 years ago.

A farewell luncheon was held in their honor on Monday before their flight home to Portugal.

Among those attending were former speaker of the House of Representatives Kharis Suhud, Indonesia's Ambassador for East Timor affairs Lopez da Cruz and Indonesian ambassador to the Netherlands Soedarmanto Kadarisman. (07)