Militia leader, Xanana agree to end hostility

Militia leader, Xanana agree to end hostility

Yemris Fointuna, The Jakarta Post, Kupang

East Timor's charismatic leader Jose Alexandre "Xanana" Gusmao
and former pro-Jakarta militia leader Joao Tavares agreed on
Tuesday to end their hostility and to work together for peace in
East Timor through reconciliation.

Xanana and Tavares, the commander of the Pro-Integration
Militia Group (PPI) reached the agreement in a meeting in Kupang,
East Nusa Tenggara.

Xanana arrived here on Monday for a three-day visit with his
main mission being reconciliation with East Timorese refugees and
pro-Jakarta East Timor leaders in the province. He was
accompanied by his wife, Kirsty Sword Gusmao, and son, Alexandre
Sword Gusmao, during his visit.

Xanana said that his meeting with Tavares was part of a
reconciliation effort to achieve a holistic repatriation. "I and
Tavares talked about reconciliation. I also underlined that
reconciliation would only work if there was a legal system. And
Tavares agreed with this idea," he said.

Tavares concurred, saying that he and Xanana had agreed not to
sow the seeds of warfare and hatred in the children of East
Timor. "Hostility and strife will not end if there is no
reconciliation," he said.

"I and Xanana talked about how to bring peace to East Timor.
We also agreed to end our conflict."

They agreed to support the process of repatriation of the East
Timorese refugees now living in camps in West Timor in
Indonesia's East Nusa Tenggara province.

Xanana said that he hoped that his visit would encourage
refugees to return to their villages in Timor Lorosae (East
Timor), especially after the establishment of a reconciliation
commission.

"We hope that refugees returning to their villages can live in
peace together with their brothers under the supervision of the
commission, even though they previously had different political
views," he added.

On his talks with Archbishop Mgr. Petrus Turang Pr., Xanana
said that he expressed his gratitude to the bishop for the
service he had done for the East Timor refugees living in East
Nusa Tenggara province.

"I personally ask the Kupang bishop to pray for us, the East
Timorese people, so that we can live in and enjoy peace. I also
appeal to the bishop to help facilitate the repatriation
process," Xanana said.

Bishop Mgr. Petrus Turang said the Kupang diocese fully
supported the efforts to create peace in East Timor.

"I pray for true and lasting peace for the people of East
Timor" he said.