Megawati cheers Timor Lorosae's independence
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Bracing strong opposition from hardliners at home, President Megawati Soekarnoputri made a brief visit to Timor Lorosae on Sunday to attend the country's declaration of independence.
The visit, which has drawn strong criticism from politicians and war veterans in Jakarta, signals a new chapter in relations between the two countries, which turned sour when thousands of military-backed militias went on a bloody rampage after the territory's population overwhelmingly voted to break away in a United Nations-organized referendum in 1999.
Megawati and her entourage arrived at Comoro Airport at 10 p.m. local time, and were greeted by president-elect Xanana Gusmao, United Nations Transitional Administration chief Sergio de Mello, Indonesia's top representative in Timor Lorosae Kristio Wahyono and UNTAET-appointed foreign minister Ramos Horta.
Her entourage included Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Jusuf Kalla and Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda.
After a brief reception at the airport, Megawati traveled in the same car with Gusmao to the Seroja Hero's Cemetery, where some 300 civilian Indonesians and military personnel, killed in keeping Timor Lorosae's integration in Indonesia, are buried.
Megawati laid flowers on six graves and stayed there for around ten minutes. She was accompanied by Gusmao. Reporters were prevented from entering the cemetery, which is located in a Dili suburb.
Outside the cemetery, two dozen protesters held a candlelight vigil, demanding Megawati punish those responsible for war crimes.
"Megawati should not forget the brutality of the Indonesian soldiers," said protest organizer Tommy Xavier, AP reported.
"They raped our women and made many people disappear."
After visiting the cemetery, Megawati left for Toci Tolo on the outskirts of Dili to attend Timor Lorosae's declaration of independence.
Thirty minutes before midnight, Megawati arrived at the venue accompanied by Gusmao. They held hands and raised them aloft, as the crowd cheered and clapped.
Megawati's visit was, however, tainted by the presence of six warships stationed near the Bay of Dili, and one Air Force Hercules C-130.
A joint task force of 2,000 Army, Navy and Air Force personnel were deployed to Dili to safeguard Megawati during the historic visit, a move that drew criticism from Timor Lorosae officials.
Her visit also drew criticism from politicians and war veterans pending the resolution of certain issues such as refugees in West Timor and Indonesia's assets in the new nation.
Hundreds of Seroja Operation veterans and widows burnt their "hero's medals" on Sunday to protest Megawati's attendance in the independence celebration.
More than 200 war widows and veterans staged a noisy but peaceful rally at Merdeka Palace in Jakarta on Friday, demanding Megawati cancel her trip to Dili.
The veterans said Megawati's visit to the Indonesian soldiers cemetery would not quell their anger over the historic trip and Timor Lorosae's independence.
Sgt. Maj. (ret) Soekoro, who heads a veterans' association, based in the Seroja military housing complex in East Bekasi, said the President's visit to the cemetery was merely a "political move".