Investigate the deaths

Investigate the deaths

To draw international sympathy and trust, the government has
recently stated the need to investigate the 1975 deaths of five
foreign reporters in East Timor. They were Malcom Rennie, Brian
Peters, Greg Shackleton, Tony Stewart and Gary Cunningham.

This is an appropriate decision and could speed up the
settlement of the East Timor question. In the case of West Irian
(now Irian Jaya), the government's struggle to bring it back to
the Indonesian fold took only about 12 years because the
international community generally sympathized with Indonesia.

In the case of East Timor, it would be best if the government
immediately released all East Timorese political detainees so
that their people can realize that the present administration is
not the same as the previous regime. In this way, it would be
more likely for them to wish to be a part of the Republic of
Indonesia.

In addition to an investigation into the death of the foreign
journalists, the government should also immediately investigate
other controversial incidents as well, including the death of
scores of Indonesian Moslems in the Tanjung Priok incident and
the tragedy of July 27, 1996. Such a move would be supported by
the Indonesian people and the international community.

Indonesians are longing for justice. Should the government
investigate the above-mentioned incidents, it could silence
public accusations that it is discriminatory in dealing with such
cases. Assertions that these cases no longer deserve
investigation because they happened in the distant past are not
appropriate. Many eyewitnesses to these incidents are still alive
and can help clarify the matter.

Who knows? If the government decides to investigate and
clarify the above cases, predominantly Moslem countries, such as
the oil-rich states in the Middle East, might sympathize with our
situation and offer assistance to help us get out of this
protracted economic crisis.

H. IFRAD SUKAMTO

Jakarta