No solution on East Timor in sight

No solution on East Timor in sight

DILI, East Timor (JP): Tomorrow is the 21st anniversary of
East Timor's integration into Indonesia but resolving the
diplomatic stalemate and overcoming the separatist guerrillas
still appear a long way off.

Government officials are quick to point out the physical
developments in Indonesia's youngest province and the diplomatic
gains achieved in various international forums.

But top officials admit that a long road still lies ahead.

East Timor military commander Col. Salamat Sidabutar conceded
Monday that it would take a long time to overcome the
separatists.

"Although they are weakening, we still can't determine when it
(the conflict) can be resolved because they are using guerrilla
tactics," Sidabutar said. "Anywhere in the world, when you're
talking about a guerrilla war, it's hard to determine (when
conflict will end)."

Military sources claim that less than 200 separatists
guerrillas are still at large.

The former Portuguese colony was integrated into Indonesia as
its 27th province on July 17, 1976. The House of Representatives
passed Law No. 7/1976 on the integration.

But 21 years later the United Nations still recognizes Lisbon
as East Timor's administrator and most Western nations have not
recognized East Timor as a part of Indonesia.

Army Chief of Staff Gen. Wiranto said in East Timor yesterday
that one of the reasons why it was hard to wipe out the
separatists was because they came from local communities.

"That's why in dealing with these separatists we are asking
locals to help secure their areas," he was quoted by Antara as
saying.

Prerequisite

He said that security was a prerequisite for investment and
the overall development of the province.

During a recent hearing of House Commission I on foreign
policy, legislators expressed their languor over discussing East
Timor again and again.

Foreign minister Ali Alatas told the legislators that he too
often felt the same.

"I can only answer that if Commission I is bored with this
issue, then you can imagine what the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
goes through. It feels like the mother of all boredom," he said
in jest.

Indonesia is involved in ongoing tripartite talks with
Portugal to find an internationally acceptable solution to the
East Timor issue. The talks are sponsored by the UN secretary
general.

"It's difficult to predict when this issue will be concluded
because we're facing people from outside," he said. "If they
don't want to end it what can we do?"

"We are trying our best that under the new UN secretary
general we can at least have a more concrete idea of what
Portugal really wants. What is its bottom line," Alatas said.

Diplomatic efforts are focussing on the issue decolonization
and human rights in East Timor.

"On decolonization, Indonesia's diplomatic efforts at the UN
have succeeded in reducing the degree and intensity of
discussions from the Security Council, to the General Assembly,
and to the tripartite dialog level which is bilateral in nature,"
Alatas said.

"But since the Nov. 12, 1991, incident the East Timor issue
has risen again, particularly the human rights aspect," he said
referring to the bloody clash between demonstrators and security
forces in Dili which claimed 50 civilian lives.

"Since 1991, Portugal has intensified its diplomacy
particularly on lobbying and public relations," he said, adding
that one could not say that Portugal's diplomacy had been totally
successful. (33/mds)