Ideology course for Timorese

JAKARTA (JP): The government is now designing a special state ideology course for East Timor, one different from the conventional curriculum and a result of the territory's different historical background.

A team from the BP7, the board which organizes and supervises Pancasila curricula, visited East Timor last week to gather information about the territory as part of its plan to design a tailor-made curriculum for the people of East Timor, according to Antara.

R. Soeprapto, the head of the board, stressed that the Pancasila course as necessary to enhance the sense of nationalism and unity of the people in Indonesia.

"East Timor has a different historical background and development," he said in explaining the reason for the different treatment.

In 1976 the former Portuguese colony joined Indonesia, which has been independent from the Dutch since 1945.

Soeprapto disclosed that he had discussed the issue with Lt. Gen. H.B.L. Mantiri, the chief of the Armed Forces general affairs.

The course will be targeted not only at native East Timorese, but also migrants from the rest of Indonesia.

"It is necessary to motivate the East Timorese youth to recognize that they are Indonesians who were born in East Timor and that they are Indonesian citizens," Soeprapto said.

He said that BP7 was still working on new material for the course, which is scheduled to begin next year. (sim)