Mother of Timor activist pines

Mother of Timor activist pines

DILI, East Timor: The mother of Isabel Gailhos, an exchange student in Canada who refused to come home and then joined an anti-Indonesia movement there, says she misses the girl.

"I miss her and want to see her," Teresa Gailhos told Indonesian Ambassador to Canada Benyamin Parwoto, who was visiting her on Saturday. "I want her to come home."

The English-major student of the University of East Timor went to Canada in 1994, Antara reported, and later joined the East Timor Alert Network (ETAN) led by Canadian Garry Pieter.

"She's actually a bright girl. We regret her decision to join the movement," Benyamin said.

"The ETAN activists succeeded in influencing Isabel and turned her into an anti-Indonesian activist," Benyamin's aide, Achsan Djunaedi, said.

"Please give Isabel some advise when you meet her, and tell her we'll take her back if she decides to come home," Teresa told the ambassador. (swe)