'Let Timorese decide their own fate'

'Let Timorese decide their own fate'

The wind of reform has prompted the government to offer
special status to East Timor, the former Portuguese colony that
became an Indonesian province in 1976. Political scientist Arbi
Sanit of the University of Indonesia thinks that the East
Timorese should have more say in their own administration.

Question: Do you think that the special status offered by
President B.J. Habibie to the East Timorese is adequate?

Arbi: The offer, according to most Indonesians outside East
Timor, is more than adequate. However, I think, the East Timorese
will not be satisfied if the offered status is similar to that
already given to Yogyakarta and Aceh because they feel that they
should not be under Indonesian rule.

Their demand is actually more psychological than material in
nature. The government has thus far provided great privileges for
the East Timorese so that their prosperity has been improving
steadily. With a great deal of financial assistance from the
central government, East Timor has been enjoying "luxury" budgets
even though its contribution to its own spending is very small.

But because their political rights have been under pressure
for decades, the East Timorese now want greater power and more
freedom from the central government. They want a greater say in
determining policies within their own boundaries with very
limited intervention from the central government.

That means that they want most administrative positions in the
territory, not only the governorship, to be controlled by East
Timorese and not by representatives from Jakarta. The Armed
Forces (ABRI) should also reduce its presence in East Timor.

Q: What will the consequences be for the East Timorese if they
are given greater autonomy?

A: As soon as they obtain greater autonomy, they must finance the
majority of their economic needs from their own locally generated
revenue. The East Timorese will not act fairly and democratically
toward their colleagues in other parts of the country, who have
made big sacrifices for the country's independence, if they are
given greater freedom from the central government but remain
financially dependent on it.

Q: What is your view on demands for a referendum in East Timor?

A: Such demands indicate that some East Timorese, including
members of the former parties that proclaimed the integration of
their territory into Indonesia (in 1976), are not satisfied with
their treatment by the central government, while their political
aspirations were too high.

They were under the illusion that as soon as they integrated
into Indonesia, they should have obtained greater rights from the
central government than their colleagues in other parts of the
country. Because they have such political pride, they refuse
intervention from the central government and ABRI.

I think we'd do better by giving the East Timorese a chance to
decide their own fate. If the East Timorese want independence,
what is wrong with that? Why do we force them (to be part of
Indonesia). If they are just a thorn in our flesh by demanding
more money than other provinces while giving us nothing. They are
just disturbing us.

Q: Have such demands been encouraged by ABRI's violations against
human rights?

A: ABRI has violated human rights not only in East Timor but also
in other parts of the country. So the human rights problem is not
merely faced by East Timorese because human rights violations
have been ABRI's "defect" in its political role.

Doesn't this mean that Fretilin (the anti-integration
movement) has gained greater support?

It should not necessarily mean so. Political aspirations in
East Timor are developing and changing. Those who used to support
integration might want freedom now.

The political background is that the (New Order) government
has put too much pressure on the political rights, particularly
the rights of democracy, of the people, including those in East
Timor, even though it offered greater welfare in return.

As a result, the citizens rejected the (authoritarian) power
of former president Soeharto and the East Timorese want greater
freedom.

Q: Do you think that the international community will support the
independence of East Timor?

A: I don't think so. The international community, including the
United Nations, the United States and Australia, will be very
cautious about the East Timor issue because they have commitments
with Indonesia. Even some countries which used to support
Portugal against Indonesia in international forums have now
become more neutral on the issue.

So the international community will continue supporting
Indonesia's position of keeping East Timor in its territorial
administration as long as it does not make serious humanitarian
violations against the East Timorese.

Q: What do you think about ABRI's stance?

A: ABRI will surely oppose a referendum in East Timor, which
might result in the province's independence and the
disintegration of Indonesia.

If East Timor were given independence, other provinces,
particularly Irian Jaya, could also demand independence.

For ABRI, the issue of East Timor's integration has been
finalized. What has not been finalized is the equal distribution
of the economy in the province.

If ABRI is asked to reduce its presence in East Timor, its
leaders might consider it as soon as security is seen to be
improving. (riz)